


Wolfboy

by TypoTigress



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Fluffy Ending, Friendship/Love, Full Episode, Gen, Identity Reveal, Marichat, Sad Ending, Stress, one-sided identity reveal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-04
Updated: 2018-11-14
Packaged: 2019-08-17 02:55:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 23,353
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16508015
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TypoTigress/pseuds/TypoTigress
Summary: After a streetboy is run off from the bakery by Marinette's father, he is found by Hawk Moth who persuades him with soothing words and false comforts, giving him the power to create diversions which to gain what he wants.  The resulting Villain is simply known as Wolf, after the akuma had possessed the boy's treasured animal hat.  He quickly proves to be one of the most loyal-to-cause puppets to date, for Wolf only seeks to please and provide for his pack, and is more cleaver than he rightly ought to be.After going to investigate the recent string of puzzling robberies, Ladybug is unprepared to face this new challenger who flips her world up side down, turning to Chat Noir for help when her miraculouses were taken, who in turn has some tough decisions to make.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Adrien/Chat Noir need more bad ass moments, I'm so tired of how prone he is to falling into dumb disasters and mistakes, or going out of his way to try and impress/woo at the worst moments. There is so much he's good at, heroic at his core, and has so much one can expand upon.

It was a typical day as any other in the bakery, busy with happy people looking for fresh made goods, peppered with light family conversation as Marinette hung out with her parents for a time. Her dad had just taken out several fresh batches of buttery rolls to cool, the timeless aroma filling the space and Marinette happily breathed in deep. She could never tired of this life.

"Oh those smell great! Are those all for dinner tonight?" she asked, seeing as bread baking was a morning job, and it was mid-afternoon now.

"Sorry, Marinette," her father replied. "They were ordered by Ludovic's Restaurant down the street, they are hosting a special dinner tonight."

"Oh, that's a shame. They smell so good…" Marinette replied, leaning ever closer towards them.

"Well, I may have slightly over baked a batch…" he said with a wink, and she smiled.

It seemed Marinette wasn't the only one growing hungry by the scent, as a lone boy wandered into the shop.

"Hello," Marinette said with a smile. The boy looked awkwardly at her for a moment before returning to looking around.

There was a pause, and a look was passed around the family before her mom went to talk with the boy. "Is there anything we can help you with, sweetheart?"

Again, the boy didn't say anything as he looked at her oddly, shaking his head with a shrug as he took a step away.

He didn't look well off. About the same height as Marinette and maybe younger, he was wearing large clothes that were neither new nor clean, and his face seemed unwashed. His dark brown hair also looked unkempt, sticking out in tufts from under a well-loved animal hat made to look like a dog, blue-gray in color, the ear flaps, stretching down to his chest, acted as the paws.

He shuffled about shyly with his hands deep inside his pant pockets, avoiding eye contact as he looked at everything the shop had to offer. His silence was disconcerting as the three of them shared another round of looks, and eventually Sabine gestured for her husband to try talking to the boy next.

With an awkward cough to clear his throat, the giant of a man started to step around the counter towards the boy. "Uh, is there something you need, son?"

Though his back was to them at that point in time, the boy grew nervous before he perked up out of his slouch and looked right out the windows.

"Ahhh! There's a giant, purple spotted goose coming up the street!" he cried and pointed in a direction.

"What??" Marinette exclaimed and jumped forward to try and see with the rest of her alarmed family.

In that split second, the boy tried to snag a double arm full of baguettes and made a dash for the door. He was quick, but his poor execution and timing left him in just the right place for Marinette's father to snatch him off his feet by the back of his jacket, sending many baked goods to the floor in the process.

"Ah-ha! I knew you were up to something, you little thief!" Tom exclaimed, holding the flailing boy captive in the simple grasp. "Love, best call the police."

Sabine looked as stern as he and nodded in agreement, but both were caught off guard as the boy landed a solid kick to Tom's knee. Now dropped, he was out the door and off down the street, Marinette quick to give chase.

Marinette! Don't! You don't know if he's dangerous!" her father called out, and she stopped. "I'd rather not have my daughter get mixed up with that character. We'll let the police know he's in the neighborhood. They can deal with him."

Marinette came to a stop and looked back to where the boy had disappeared to, feeling torn before doing as she was told and went in to help clean up the mess.

 

The boy sprinted for some time, putting as much distance down as he could before he could run no more, hiding in the dirty shadows of a tight alleyway when he finally stopped. He breathed hard for a time as he sat down. Then, the panting turned into stifled sobs as he clutched at his hat, pulling it down tight, wrapping the long arms of it around himself like a scarf. A feeble attempt to hide from the world that seemed to ignore him otherwise.

"It's not fare, Bleu…" he said, his heart sinking further into the despair he already knew. "They had so much… and he almost took you from me…"

Little did the boy realize his world was about to change. The black butterfly came to land upon his precious hat, and when he opened his tear filled brown eyes, he found himself face-to-face with a masked man that seemed to smile warmly.

_"Wolf, I am Hawk Moth. The world seems to have neglected you, only noticing you for all the wrong reasons. But I have heard your cries for love, and seen you for who you are. Your potential. You want food and attention? Basic needs any boy should be given by a father? With the power to create powerful diversions, you can sway people in your favor, to gain their sympathy or create opportunities for yourself to take what it is you desire. All I ask in return, my child, is for your devotion and the miraculouses of Ladybug and Chat Noir. Together, you and I can show the world what it has been overlooking, and take from it what we both truly deserve."_

There was a glazed look of hope that came upon the boy before he sneered, and the dark powers began to engulf him. "Yes, Hawk Moth."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to leave me comments as you read, I'm always looking to improve, and interested to hear what people do and do not like. I take constructive criticism well, and like talking ideas out :)


	2. Chapter 2

"Whew… I'm glad my dad has finally calmed down," Marinette said as she closed the hatch that acted as her bedroom door.

"He did get kicked really hard for doing what seemed right at the time," Tikki replied as she flitted about.

"It wasn't right that that boy tried to steal from us. But I do feel bad, he was probably hungry. I just wish he asked."

"Would your dad have given him food?"

"Of course. He has given away bread and cakes that didn't sell, although he can't do it all the time. I wonder where that boy is now."

"He could be anywhere, maybe even home."

"If he even has a home," Marinette sighed. "But I suppose there is no sense in worrying about it. I doubt he'll try coming back. But I think if I see him again, I'll try talking to him."

"That sounds like a fantastic idea, Marinette! I'm sure he could use a friend."

Marinette smiled. But when sat down at her desk the smile vanish at the sight her assignments. "Oh… why did I put this off…"

"Because something always come up," Tikki replied.

"I had a whole week though… hey, Tikki… what do you know about Roman history?" Marinette asked with a slight grin.

Tikki gave her head a light shake. "Marinette, you know I can't help you with your history homework, it would be an unfair advantage."

"Yes, but it would make researching that much faster…" Marinette batted her eyes, but the stern expression her tiny friend made her hang her head. "Okay…"

Cracking open one of the books, Marinette turned the TV on for some background noise to find she was not going to be working on her homework just yet.

**"…Paris is baffled as a string of mysterious burglaries have shop owners scratching their heads," stated Clara Contard on the news.**

**"It was just the darndest thing!" cried one man being interviewed. "There was a horse just running frantically all through the street, it was blue, it kicked a few cars and when it had left I turn around to see my stuff was gone!"**

"Tikki…"

"You think might have to do with that boy from earlier?" she asked.

"I don't know, a blue horse sounds about as strange as a purple spotted goose. But regardless, something fishy is going on, and we should find out what it is! Spots on!"

And with that, the young woman was no longer herself, dashing away across the rooftops, zipping out over the streets upon a thread with the goal of tracking down the source Paris' new trouble.

She paused for a time as she observed the most recent burglary, flipping open her magical weapon to access its smartphone properties and started reading over the reports coming in.

"The salami shop. André's ice cream. Pizza… A toy store..? That poor man's lunch… These are not normal thefts, but they all seem related because something bizarre happened just before. A blue animal. Hummm." Ladybug mulled over it all before standing up right again and threw her yo-yo to the highest point she could see with a smirk. "Who or whatever isn't traveling much though. But it does seem they are moving southward. Maybe I can just catch it in the act!"

Ladybug left the area quickly, completely unaware that there was a dark set of eyes watching.

_"It would seem Ladybug has come to investigate,"_ Hawk Moth said to the one hiding in the shadows. _"Wolf, I trust my gifts have satisfied your needs, now I must ask for you to fetch me what I hunger for."_

"Gladly, Hawk Moth," came the reply, the figure now having moved to where Ladybug once stood and looking off to where she went.

_"Good boy. Do you have a plan?"_

"Yes. A wolf's strength in the hunt is his ability to flank his prey."

_"Very well, but be careful, Chat Noir may not too far behind. They are their strongest when together."_

"Understood," Wolf stated, sniffing the air momentarily before going on the move. "Time to thin the flock…"

 * * *

Ladybug came to a point in her predicted area that seemed good to stop at and wait to see what would happen next, keeping an eye upon her communicator for updates elsewhere in the city.

"Oh… I could be doing my assignment…" she sighed as the time ticked quietly along, still unaware that she was the one being stalked. Everything had gone quiet, the city was going about its business like normal, which was making her impatient. She finally opened her communicator and phoned Chat Noir, getting only his dorky answering system. "Chat Noir, if you are getting then then you may have heard about the strange thefts happening. I'm currently at the traffic circle of the fourteenth district, I think I have a leed…"

She faltered finishing her sentence as she started to hear a commotion not too far away. Without finishing the message she closed the device and zipped off to find out what the trouble was, spotting someone running and moved skillfully around the buildings to cut them off in the narrow street.

"Stop right there!" she yelled as she landed upon the ground ahead of them.

The person she had caught up with turned out to be the boy from earlier, who stopped as she had ordered.

"Don't you even try to leave, why are you running?" she asked looking stern, preparing to give chase.

"Ladybug!" he cried. To her surprise, he ran right to her, throwing himself at her feet and cling to a leg. "Thank goodness it's you!"

"Whoah…" she let out, trying to shift to get him to let go. "What- what's wrong, young man?"

"Ladybug, I'm scared," he whimpered with large brown eyes. "There was this man, and he tried to talk to me… and now this black butterfly keeps chasing me…"

"Hawk Moth," she growled to herself.

He then started to become more clingy in his desperation. "You have to help me! It…"

"Don't worry, I will. I just need you to…" She noticed the change in him.

Letting go, he stood and came around to her side, eyes looking hard back the way he came.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

They both watched the end of the tight street, seeing a flitting shadow upon the brick wall.

"You have to help me!" he whimpered.

"Get behind me!" she ordered and made them switch places, getting her tool ready to capture the akuma before it had a chance to cause harm.

_"Well done, Wolf,"_ Hawk Moth said to the boy who was now smirking, his voice pleased. _"Her guard is completely down. But that is not enough…"_

"What is it!" he then said in a scared voice, cowering directly behind her.

"It's an akuma, but it can't hurt you if you aren't afraid."

"Akuma?!" he yelled. "Help me, Ladybug!"

"ACK!" she yelped. He had suddenly jumped onto her in such a way that he pinned her arms down at her sides. "No! Let go!"

She tried to struggle free, the akuma had now flitted into view with a dark blue sheen and was heading for them, but the boy was unusually strong, even compared to her with powers.

"What are you doing!" she cried.

In a blink the akuma was gone, and Ladybug found herself in a grip she was officially unable to get out of. Then a gasp escaped as a masked face was now cheek-to-cheek with her, replacing the boy all together.

"Got you," he smirked. The strength of this villain was more than she could handle. So much so that he was able to use one hand to reach up for her ears. "You have what my master needs."

"NO! Don't do it! He's evil!" she screamed, trying everything she could to gain some leverage, to find some weakness in his hold. "He only wants to use them for evil!"

"He's not evil," Wolf replied calmly, plucking the first earring from her, triggering her detransformation. "He watches over his pack."

"NO!"

How could this happen? How could she have fallen for such a scheme so easily? She tried to turn her head away so he couldn't get at her other ear, but somehow that too failed without a chance to put up a proper fight. And for the first time, she was completely helpless at the hands of an akumatized villain, feeling her powers vanish in the blink of an eye and his strength tripling in comparison.

"GOT THEM!" he yelled, dropping her in his excitement.

Just like that, Marinette found herself free of his grasp, but gasping for air at his feet and desperately looking around at her situation.

_"YES!"_ cried Hawk Moth. _"Fantastic, Wolf! You have managed to do what no other has done!"_

The smile upon Wolf's face was that of genuine joy as he stared at the two gems in his hand.

_"I need you to bring them to me, but not before you take care of the previous owner."_

"Yes, Mast–AAHG!" he yelled as something was slung into his face.

Marinette's last stand involved the street sand and grit her hands fell into, throwing a large gob of it into Wolf's face before taking her only chance to get her miraculous back.

She finally got to see what he looked like: the suit he wore was form fitting, blue-gray in color with accents of white in places such as his armor, boots and gloves; the wolf aspect of his powers prevalent in the design of his head-mask coming down more than half-way over his face, leaving only his mouth exposed; the eyes of the wolf were his own, looking down a muzzle that extended from the mask; the mane of the head ran down his back and formed into a tail of sorts, while what were once the long ear warmers of the boy's hat were now wrapped tightly around him like a scarf – like if the wolf was hugging him.

Marinette used every ounce her normal-self had to wrestle the earrings from his fist, playing a dangerous game of dexterity verses strength, eventually getting thrown back into the street.

There was still sand in Wolf's eyes however, and he could not help but rub them further with fury and whining, leaving her to have a few moments to recouperate. Marinette moved to try once more, but his dagger like weapon was made known as he shifted to face her.

"You…" he growled, his irritated eyes starting to take focus on her.

_"Who is she??"_ Hawk Moth demanded, angry that he could only see what Wolf's blurry vision allowed.

Fear struck Marinette when she saw the change in his stance and expression, putting wings to her feet so to leave that lone street as fast as she could.

"Get back here!" Wolf howled.

_"Wolf, do you still have my miraculous?"_ Hawk Moth asked. It took a few more wipes to get the last of the sand from his eyes, but when wolf looked at what he held, there was only one earring.

"Yes, Hawk Moth."

_"NO! You idiot! I need both!"_ The akumatized boy looked sad. " _She must have taken one, else she wouldn't have run. FIND HER!"_

Wolf looked stern as he gritted his teeth. He took a few steps towards where she last stood and sniffed the air. "The hunt is on, Ladybug… I will not let you mess this up for me…"

 

Marinette made her way to the busy intersection of that district, causing a bit of a commotion as she tried to dart across the busy street and bumping into people that happened in her way. This was bad. This was _very_ bad. She didn't know what to do other than get as much distance between herself and the villain. She darted around one corner to hide and looked back for a moment, just in time to see Wolf had caught up with her. But right now he seemed turned around, trying to gauge which way she went in the interesction. No time to catch her breath, she had to keep running.

Going down the next stretch of tight Paris streets and bends, there was a particular sound that she managed to hear over her own breathing, a sound she knew all too well. She looked up in time to see the black clad figure vanish over the roof tops with the use of his staff.

"Chat Noir!" she cried out, dangerous knowing Wolf was on her heels, stopping for only a second to see if the cocky hero would come back. She raced on in hopes of finding him.

What story would she tell him? What excuse was there for this villain being after her? That he had something of hers she desperately needed back, but couldn't explain _why_. What warning could she even tell Chat Noir, so he too didn't meet the same misfortune?

"Chat Noir!" She kept looking up, hoping to catch a glimpse of where that tom cat went, and she would have to look down each junction she came to in case Wolf was already there. She was quickly growing tired and slowing down by this point.

Yet another turn. She was becoming turned around with how many times she zigged through the neighborhood. Which was was north? And then she had the fright of her life as a figure dropped down into her path.

"Hey, you're not a fan looking for an autograph now, are ya?" Chat Noir said in his playful manor. "And why are you ru- _OOF!_ " Marinette had thrown herself into his arms, an action that hardly made the hero budge from where he stood, but he was left stunned as he looked down.

Adrien had grown quite fond of Marinette, finding he had a soft spot for that awkward but sweet girl in his class, who seemed to never be able to keep her words straight.

She was always there to help people. Always happy. And although she was tough enough to stand up for herself (most of the time,) she was as prone to getting picked on as she was to tripping over things. She was someone he treasured as a friend. And here she was in what looked to be a panic, clinging to him desperately as she fought to catch her breath. It made his hair stand on end.

"Hey, what's wrong?" he asked, his tone transitioning from the fun side of himself to the serious.

There was no way for her to know who the boy was beneath the broad mask, that this smart talking hero was also the very same kind boy in class that she loved – only that he was good, and dedicated to defeating Hawk Moth alongside Ladybug, of whom he had professed his feelings for on a number of occasions. He was gently holding her in attempt to help her calm down, but she only started to feel worse inside.

"Marinette, what's wrong?" he asked again, his voice gentle and close to her ear. He was obviously worried now. She clung tighter to his chest, the contact and comfort gave her a false sense of security after what just happened. It triggered the feeling of being overwhelmed as her thoughts started to come around again, slowly breaking down right there and unable to restrain some of the things she would soon say.

"I failed…"

"What?" he said, her voice was only a breath.

"…I failed… I'm sorry I failed… I need help but… I don't know what to do…"

Chat Noir then took her by the shoulders to make her look at him. "Marinette, what are you talking about?"

She could hardly look him in the eye, overwhelmed by the shame she felt and looking every which way with each new thought striking her, working herself up into tears.

"He took them, and I couldn't get them back. I failed you. I failed Paris… Master Fu… Tikki… Tikki I'm so sorry!"

His face and eyes were wild as he was trying desperately to understand her broken ramblings. His heart breaking to see her like this. She was trembling. But more over, she was talking about things that she shouldn't have known!

A loud voice echoed from somewhere within the labyrinth of buildings, making them both twitch for different reasons. "Where are you, Ladybug!"

Chat Noir's hard expression slowly fell as the pieces began to fit together, his eyes never leaving hers. It was in that moment a realization was shared between them – that he now knew her secret, and that she was even more terrified because of it.

"WHERE ARE YOU!" Wolf yelled again as he grew closer.

Chat Noir watched the tears spill from her bluebell eyes. How did he not recognize those eyes?

"…help me…"

Wolf was furious. Wild with anger, and worked into a frenzy from the chase. He rounded the corner and jogged to a stop when he found it empty. He was certain she had gone this way, he could smell her being here, but the path had ended suddenly.

The villain started pacing about in circles, slowly figuring out where she had gone, and what else it was his senses were picking up.

Chat Noir was crouched low and glaring hard at him, watching carefully from over the edge of the roof, fingering his staff in anticipation. But as the seconds ticked by he backed off his plan to ambush the villain. He stayed long enough to wage a guess of this villain's tracking ability, he needed to do what was best for Marinette and get her as far away as possible once he scoped her back up.

"I'm sorry, Chat Noir," she said as she clung to his neck, already he had managed to clear several rooftops and was not about to stop.

"We really need to talk when this is all over," he replied.

Her only reply was nodding, which he felt her do against his neck. This was not the way he envisioned their identities being shared.


	3. Chapter 3

The Eiffel Tower was always a good location to hide at. It was up high, often devoid of people, and provided enough warning that someone was coming so to get out of sight. It also wasn't too far away from where they started.

Once to the top, Chat Noir let Marinette down gently and gave her a much-needed minute to walk about. A chance for her to gain her bearings and clear her mind.

"How could this happen?" she asked herself, holding her head as she paced back and forth. "This shouldn't have happened. How could I have let my guard down like that? This is a disaster. A complete disaster!"

She was stopped then by Chat, having stepped into her path and took her shoulders.

"Just… so that we are on the same page," he said with hesitation in his voice. "You are saying, you are… Ladybug..?"

She did not want to answer, nor look into his concerned eyes. But there was no denying it now, a simple nod with her hesitation said it all. He then let go while taking a step back, the truth was much heavier than he ever expected.

"Okay… …so… what happened?"

"I'm not even sure anymore…" she breathed. Gripping her head hard in shame and despair. "This afternoon a boy tried to run out of my parents' shop with food. My dad grabbed him, but he still got way. Then I saw the news and came to investigate what the trouble was. And I found that same boy again. But... but he was running away from an akuma, crying for my help." She lowered her head more. "I then turned my back to him to catch it, and…"

"He took your earrings," Chat said when she couldn't finish her sentence. He started to grow angry, glaring off towards the 14th district. "I should fought him."

"He's much stronger than he looks, Chat Noir." She started to hold herself as the tears threatened to return. "I tried to take them back, but by then he had transformed…"

"When he took them he wasn't yet akumatized?"

"No. Yes? Maybe??" she started to pull at her hair. "I don't even know now! I was looking at the akuma when he grabbed me…"

"Maybe there was two akuma?" he offered skeptically.

"I suppose anything is possible with Hawk Moth now…" she sighed. "I can't believe I screwed up like this…"

"Hey," he said, making her look up to see him smiling. "We all make mistakes. I… lost my miraculous before," he offered with a shy grin.

"Yeah, but it wasn't to a villain," she reminded. "If Hawk Moth gets both our miraculouses, he can make a wish that could change everything as we know it, and we would be powerless to stop him."

"That's not going to happen."

"I really hope not…"

He awkwardly rubbed his head while processing all of this. Everything she was saying was right, but with how she was talking – the lack of confidence – was this really the same Ladybug he knew and loved? As awesome as Marinette was, she never struck him as the wow-erful girl that captured his heart that fateful day. Especially in her lowest moments.

But deep in his heart, confused as it was, he knew it had to be true. And everyone had a limit before they buckled under the stress. He would have his stupid tantrum moments to look back on. Marinette was an awesome person in her own right… Surely this wasn't a ruse.

He sighed to himself. Once they got her miraculous back, and this terrible day behind them, everything would be clear.

"So… what is the plan?" he asked.

"If I knew, Chat Noir, we wouldn't be here!" she snapped, instantly feeling bad for it and covered her face. "I'm sorry… I…"

"Hey, it's okay," he said with another smile. "We'll figure it out. We always do."

It was always amazing just how much emotion came through his eyes despite the mask, so much so that she gave a weak smile in return, desperately needing to believe him and trusting it was true.

"Thank you. I can't do this without you."

"I'll always be here to help you, m'lady."

"Oh no," she groaned, her eyes rolling slightly.

"What's wrong?" he asked, now concerned.

She quickly tried to laugh it off. "No, nothing."

It was then his demeanor changed. Like flicking on a light, a hard and serious expression fell upon his face as he looked off elsewhere. It was worth the worry, but Marinette was not finding what it was he saw or heard. He then stepped closer to her in a protective way which made her even more paranoid that the villain just might have found them. The motor of the elevator engaged, signaling someone was coming up to the top.

It took a good, long minute before the elevator arrived, letting a giggling group of tourists out, completely unaware of the other two visitors watching just over head. Chat relaxed, but only slightly, and climbed them a bit higher to the service deck where Marinette could get off his back for the time being.

"We probably shouldn't say here," she said.

"I think you are right. Back in the alley, I believe I saw him tracking you by scent."

"Eh…" she said with a weird cringe. "That's not creepy at all…"

Chat Noir just gave an odd, unsure shrug about it. "But it means he may be making his way here next. Look."

He had pulled his baton around and opened it to the same tracking screen she had earlier, showing the sightings and crimes being reported; a trail of markers growing ever closer to the tower.

"How is that even possible?" Marinette blurted and had to cover her mouth. Fortunately the visitors had not yet noticed them.

"I don't know, but we need to figure out how to get your miraculous back."

"Yes…" she sadly.

He urged her to move around to a different spot so to avoid being spotted, and she elected to sit down with her knees to her chest, slipping into thought about what they needed to do. He could not help study her a bit in these moments, still trying to work through his own troubled doubts, when a gut wrenching thought hit him.

"Marinette?"

Hearing him say her name spooked her even though she knew he knew it previously. "Yes?"

His large, green eyes were piercing as they searched hers, looking almost alien without that flirty expression she was accustomed to.

"Did he see who you were?" The words came out as a breath. It felt like the blood ran from her face as they settled upon her.

"I… I don't know…"

Chat regretted bringing it up, practically able to read the manic thoughts in those sorrowful eyes.

"It happened so fast… No, you mean if he recognized me from the shop… Oh no, my parents!"

"Shush, shush!" He brought a hand up and tried to silence her without actually touching her face. "Shuushhh… It's okay…"

"Chat, what if he goes for my parents?"

"It won't happen…"

"How do you know that?? Oh no… oh no…"

"Marinette, I won't let it happen…" he said taking her hands before they gripped her head again. She looked him in the eyes as a result "It's going to be okay. Trust me."

Where did he get all his confidence from? It was almost like a spell he could cast with just a gaze and smile, driving away doubt even in the darkest of times, and fanned the embers of dying hope. It gave Marinette enough of a distraction to take a proper breath, centering her again. But that smile of his beneath the mask said there was to be more, and he shifted alongside so she could see the screen with him.

"Look. He's getting closer to us. So that means…" he said, trailing off as his agile fingers worked the map to the area of her parents' bakery, showing it was empty of markers. "All is quiet on the western front."

Marinette's expression was quite devoid of anything as she watched, looking to him despite they were almost cheek-to-cheek. Looking back at her side-long, there was that slightly crazed look in his eye accompanying the toothy grin.

"See? Trust me."

He was trying hard to keep her calm. Realizing that fact wasn't helping her though, just pushed her emotions around more, and about all she could do was nod and fight the urge to burst into tears.

One must have escaped as she watched him reach up and brushed it away with the back of his glove. His excessive confidence had tempered down into a something more sincere.

"I understand. This… whole situation is not ideal. But I'm here for you to the end. It always works out in the end. However, I do need your help too." He then gave a bit more of a smile as he tilted his head sideways. "No pressure."

Finally, he found that piece that helped tip the scale again, invoking a hiccup-of-a-laugh and smile right before she hid her face from him.

"You're right. It always works out," she replied. "I need to get grip of myself. We've seen worse…"

And although all her self-doubt was screaming in the back of her mind, his quiet gaze and smile seemed to drown it out. This wasn't impossible, they would get her earrings and Tikki back. Together.

"Us against the world..."

Chat looked rather proud of himself, then went to stand, taking her hand to help her do the same.

"That's sounding like my Ladybug. So, surely your intuition doesn't need a miraculous. Any ideas before we leave?"

"At the moment... No. I think we need to know more about him."

"Fare enough, it will come to you when the time is right," he said, that confidence shining though. "I feel we need to get moving then." He then changed the function of his communicator over to phone. "I think, because he's steadily been searing for us, it's unlikely he's taken your earrings to Hawk Moth. But, do you know why he's still after you?"

"No, I don't. Other than I might have made him angry? He let me go when I transformed back, but then- looked like he wanted to hurt me. That was when I ran away…" Her last sentence coming out with some shame. She then found her chin tilted up.

"If he has your miraculous, I can leave you here and try to take them back myself," he said. " Or, I can take you somewhere safe first, to make sure you don't get hurt."

"Chat, I don't think you should fight him yet," Marinette voiced.

"Why? Do you doubt me to hold my own, m'lady?" he said with a teasing tone.

"No. But we don't know how he tricked me in the first place," she replied, some strength returning to her voice. "I don't like the idea of him having a chance to take them to Hawk Moth, but going after him blind won't do us any good."

"Hummm, sounds like your intuition is working purrrrr'fectly to me," he cooed, watching her twitch with annoyance.

"I think it's more commonsense," she replied, to which he gave a slight shrug before turning serious when he brought the device up to his ear.

"In any case, regardless of the type of action we take, I think we need to talk to Master Fu."

"What? No! We can't!" she said getting flustered.

"Why not?"

She started gripping at her hair. "Because… If we tell him I lost my miraculous… he might not trust me again… even if we get my earrings back, he might not let me stay Ladybug. I'd never see Tikki again… and… and… and…"

Chat Noir just stared at her with a raised brow, making her shy away.

"Okay…"

Apparently her confidence was still quite fragile. Teasing and annoying her seemed the way to go to keep her from backsliding, which wasn't a bad deal and only made him feel more confident she was the real deal.

The line he was calling answered. "<We have a situation,>" Chat Noir then said in Mandarin, getting a confused look from Marinette. "<Where is some place safe we can meet you?>"


	4. Chapter 4

Marinette skeptically watched Chat Noir remove the manhole cover that lead into the sewers. "Are you sure this is the way Master Fu wanted us to meet him?"

"If it's true the villain is tracking us by scent, this is the safest option we have right now," he replied, taking extra glances around before looking up at her with a smile. "You trust me, right?"

"I do." The two simple words seemed to have quite an impact on him.

Chat then gestured to the hole with a sweep of his hand. "Ladies first."

She had a slight cringe at the thought of going down into the sewer system, but she complied and started clambering down with only a minor slip at the start.

Chat was extra careful about their surroundings before following, looking around for the villain with growing hostility. Just as they were leaving the Eiffel Tower, he saw a figure bounding about by roof top in the distance, causing him to think twice on how they were going to travel, keeping to cover more than simply letting his staff swing them to a new location. Now he was diligent in ensuring no one was seeing them at all, looking around in all directions till the very last inch of closing the cover.

There was but pin holes of light filtering down into the damp world around where Marinette stood, who was looking around with worry, for she could hardly even make out the edges of where walls and floors ended.

"Okay, we shouldn't have to travel far," Chat said as he hopped down alongside her. "Follow me."

"Okay…"

Easier said than done. At least where they had started there was some light her eyes could adjust to, but the further they went down the walk way, the more cautious she was becoming. She had to keep a hand upon the wall so to not accidentally walk right off the ledge into the water.

She never noticed just how quiet Chat Noir could be till now, she was trying hard to pay attention to his foot falls over the ambiance of the sewer system, but it was almost impossible after a while.

"Why are you still back there?" she heard him ask.

"Eh! Sorry…" The last thing she needed was to be left behind. So she hurried her steps, keeping her one hand still upon the wall and the other ahead just in case. Then found herself stopping with her face just a few inches from his chest. "Ack!"

He chuckled lightly. "You can't see, can you?"

"We've been over this before, Kitty, some of us don't have night vision," she said slightly miffed.

He chuckled again, and somehow she knew he was leaning towards her with a large grin upon his face. "I'm sorry, Bugaboo, I forgot." Oh no, now his acceptance of her being Ladybug was official. "Just give me your hand then."

She felt this was starting to become ridiculous, annoyed that she had to be this dependent on him. But the only one to blame for this mess was herself and held her hand out into air for him to take. His grip was firm but still gentle, and she furrowed her brow as she closed her eyes, expecting him to try to pull some suave move on her. Be it kiss her hand, openly flirt the idea she couldn't see him coming, both, or just straight kiss her.

But he did none of these things. He kept her close as he moved forward. No banter or funny business. Just lead her along smoothly, and she started to feel more at ease the longer this went on. There was a point in time she thought she had Chat Noir's faults pegged, but then he would have these moments, and it made her feel guilty for thinking poorly of him.

Perhaps it was because he now knew who she was, having had interacted with her as a civilian, and now knew that she straight out lie to him or pretended certain things. It must have felt like betrayal. But it didn't really seem like he was growing cold because of it – the more they had to interact under these circumstances, the more comfortable he seemed to get in treating her as Ladybug, just without nearly as much of the flirting. It was quite refreshing really, allowing herself to trust him properly, and gravitated closer to him for the security.

Although he was quite aware of Marinette's growing ease, Chat was anything but relaxed. He was trying to stay lighthearted and upbeat with her, to bring her spirits up as much as he could in this trying time, for he was worried that if she saw just how serious he was taking the situation, it would make matters worse with how delicate she was. His ears were sharp to any new sounds to the echoey location, his sight constantly looking around and behind them for movement, should anyone see his current expression they just might be afraid of the lengths he would go to protect his friend.

There came a point where they stopped and he pulled away from her slightly.

"We have to cross a narrow bridge over the water," he said. She took a deep breath at the idea. What did he mean by narrow?

"Okay," she replied and cleared her throat of the nervousness that threatened to come out.

"Don't worry, I got you, Marinette," he said, she could hear the smile in his voice. "And it will be easy since you can't see the drop."

"What? You're joking, right??" she asked, tensing up at the idea of an unknown height.

He started biting his lip before responding. "Yes."

"Chat Noir!"

"Shhhshhhh! It's okay, I promise this will be easy," he said and picked up both her hands. "Just one foot in front of the other. There you go."

It really was a good thing she couldn't see what he was having her do, for the ledge could hardly be called a bridge seeing as it wasn't any wider than their own feet, and he was walking it backwards while holding her steady.

"Just keep looking forward at me. It's not that far." He didn't think his encouragement would help as much as it seemed to do, but her eyes met his and held there. They remained locked with his for so long it became unnerving. "How are you doing that?"

"Doing what?"

"Looking at me…"

"Well you said to."

"Can you actually see right now?" he then asked.

"No, but your eyes do glow a little in the dark," she said in matter-of-fact tone.

"…Oh… That is good to know."

She gave him a sympathetic smile there in the dark, unable to see the one he had in return.

 

She never thought she would be this comfortable with Chat Noir. Sure, she was comfortable enough with him to trust him as a partner, someone who's hands she entrusted her life. She trust him enough to respect the fact they were supposed to keep their identities a secret, even from each other, and not look at each other the two instances they were forced to detransform in the same space.

But to be able to walk hand in hand for so long… especially knowing how he felt about her – well, felt about Ladybug – it was a situation she didn't see happening.

It was a necessity, sure, but it didn't change the fact that she felt different now. It just seemed natural to take hold of his arm, rest her tired head against it, or to just simply smile when she felt his thumb give a few reassuring strokes to the back of her hand. Or maybe she was just getting confused emotions again, finding she was a sucker for boys that treated her kindly. Luka being the prime example.

Still, it was becoming easy to forget just how bad the situation was, or the fact this was the most unromantic place anyone could imagine… _NO! Bad, Marinette!_ She gave her head a shake. This was just a terrible day, she was just reading into things deeper because of it!

"Something wrong?" he asked.

"Nope."

He blinked a few times. "Okay."

In spite of her best efforts, her thoughts would keep running like this for a while. It was just blackness and silence down here as they kept walking for what felt like forever now. But despite the struggle in her heart for Adrien, Marinette kept finding more moments where she cared for Chat Noir. For now it was just a fondness of him as her friend, an appreciation for his sacrifice to be a hero... And as her fingers were interlocked with his, she absently felt his ring, the miraculous of destruction given to someone of tender heart.

His fingers twitched, and she felt the claws of his glove press in, threatening to do harm for a second. She relaxed her hand in case he needed to drop it. It was enough to snap her to the present and shortly thereafter, he stopped walking.

He not only stopped, but something was wrong in Chat's body-language. He gripped her hand a little tighter as he tensed up, and although she didn't feel him shift, she heard the soft sound of his staff activating.

"Is he here?" she breathed.

"Shh…" came the only reply, and he backed her up into the wall.

She didn't realize how on edge he really was, and would never know how that little affectionate action made him doubt her authenticity. Fortunately, the idea of her double-crossing him hurt enough to delay any action, and right now she believed he was reacting to something down in the sewers with them. Which did become the case when he realized there was definitely something else down here with them and growing closer at an alarming rate.

"Oh good, we were getting worried!" spoke up Wayzz as he flitted to them.

There was a shared sigh of relief between the two youths as they sank slightly into each other.

"Oh this is bad," Wayzz said as he came closer to look at Marinette. "You lost both?"

"Yes…" she answered with a low head.

"Oh no… Hopefully Master Fu knows what to do. Come, he's just this way."

"Marinette," came Chat's voice from beside her.

She looked to him, finding his eyes which seemed troubled in shape.

He hesitated. "Let me carry you, it would be easier, seeing where he went."

"Sure," she answered after giving a half smile, and let him pick her up between both arms as she hung onto his neck. He quickly hopped and dashed after the kwami with ease.

 

* * *

 

Marinette was relived to see some proper light again. Wayzz lead them to a flat alcove Master Fu had himself set up in, finding him sitting there upon a small mat with just a lantern and the Miraculous Box.

"Ah, there you two are," he said as he lifted his head. "Marinette, come sit."

She did as she was told, thinking she was in trouble.

"I am so sorry, Master Fu…"

"There is nothing worse than losing your miraculous," he said gravely.

She hung her head further, and Chat started to look worried from where he was.

He took the roll as look out, watching the way he and Marinette came, while Wayzz zipped down to the far end of the other tunnel.

"But," Master Fu with a slightly lighter tone. "These things happens." When Marinette looked up she saw an empathetic smile upon his face. He then picked up his phone which was sitting down between them. "It is a shame it happened to be the Ladybug earrings. And to this one..."

Still wary of their surrounding, Chat came closer to also look at what the guardian was scrolling through.

"This young man is not like past akuma victims, his motives are not nearly as outrageous or violent. It is hard to guess what his motive is. And thus far, people have been calling him Wolfboy by his appearance and demeanor."

"That does seem fitting," she commented.

"But what is more puzzling is the crimes. Something always happens that draws everyone's attention, leaving them scratching their heads when it is over. People have not yet linked him to the robberies, but by what Chat Noir told me it is obvious they are."

"Diversions…" Marinette said aloud. She then looked to Chat. "He creates diversions so people don't notice him. He- he's like the boy from the storybooks!"

"The boy who cried wolf," Chat replied in thought. "Sounds plausible. That describes what happened to you too."

"What did happen, Marinette?" Master Fu asked, and so she quickly ran him through the events. "I see… He turns normal and still does Hawk Moth's bidding… that is strange… that might explain why he's not seen associated with the crimes."

"Because he looks normal," she commented.

All this while he was going through various clips being shared of the strange events happening, blue animals causing trouble, or chaotic events erupting the normal peace for the area. Marinette sparked to life when one video played through.

"That's him!" She then paused the video and made it back up enough to show the boy's face right before entering a store. "That's the same boy."

Chat craned his head to look over their shoulders. "Doesn't look too tough to me," he remarked with a bit of a pouty lip. She just narrowed her eyes at him.

"There is no telling just what powers or abilities an akuma can give an individual," Master Fu reminded. "If he could overpower Ladybug, it would be foolish to underestimate him."

"Yes, Master Fu," Chat replied, crossing a hand over his chest and giving a respectful bow.

"Marinette, I must ask, do you think he knows your identity?" Master Fu asked.

Chat started to panic slightly. "Eh! Maybe, let's avoid that one..?"

"Why?"

"No- it's okay… I'm okay…" Marinette said taking a deep breath. "Everything is going to be okay… Always is." Chat tensed but breathed a soft sigh when she showed her determination to hold it together. "I just have to have faith. Answer is, Master Fu, I don't know."

"Hummm… Either way, I suppose we might not be able to do anything about it right now."

Marinette took another breath and tried rise above it all. But somethings were ever weighting on her mind.

"Chat… could I ask you to…"

As she turned her head to look at him, he was already holding up the map tracker on his device with a loving smile. "All's good."

What a relief, for both her and him as he saw the peace she had. He then stepped away to check the sewers, and to privately glare at the map. The current status of the Wolfboy showed he was not only getting too close for comfort, but the time between sightings was getting to the point where he was starting to fall off the radar.

Marinette still couldn't believe she let this villain take such advantage over her. Looking down, her eyes went back to the paused video, making her wrinkle her nose.

"Hey… where's his hat?" she remarked.

"Hat?" they both said.

"Yes… back in the store, he was wearing a fleece wolf hat. But now that I think about it, he wasn't wearing it when he attacked me..."

"Perhaps he lost it, and that's why he's been akumatized?" Chat offered over his shoulder.

"Maybe… but you saw him, he looks a lot like a wolf."

"Then the akuma must be in the hat," Chat stated.

"Yeah, but where is it?" she asked looking at the video again.

"That may be something you two will have to figure later when you face him," Master Fu said.

"But, Master Fu," Marinette said looking to him. "I don't think I can face him. He took my miraculous, now I'm just powerless Marinette. The class klutz who is failing her history exam because she was too busy dealing with akumas, or falling asleep in class because Ladybug answered another emergency late night…" she said, spilling over into her random problems as she hid her face with a groan.

"Marinette, it is time to focus," Master Fu said.

"Yes! Focus!" she blurted as she straightened back up trying to look natural. She just got a light sigh and head shake from the old man. She then watched him turn to pick up the Miraculous Box.

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng, so long as I remain guardian, you will never be powerless."

Chat could not help but come back over to admire the sight and feel lost in the spender.

Her eyes danced over each of the beautiful charms as they showed themselves, each crying out to be used. She hesitated. "Master. You trust me with another?"

"I do. You are at no fault for this matter. It would seem Wolfboy has an agenda more focused than you are used to. Chat Noir is going to need your help so this doesn't happen again. And for that, you'll have to take up another miraculous until we get the ladybug earrings back."

"Yes, Master Fu, I understand."

She then started looking over each one with deep consideration. Chat was hovering and admiring the display as he had not gotten to see the box and its contents like she had.

"Let's see… he's strong… and tricky…"

"Oh, you should pick the tiger," Chat said.

"The tiger? Why?"

"Cause then we'd be matching." He could hardly contain his excitement, smiling like an idiot and started play clawing at the air. "Rwar."

"CHAT!" she shouted, turning bright red. "That's not funny!"

"And now is not the time to be yelling," Master Fu said as he put a hand over his ear. "Must I remind you, you do have someone hunting you."

"Eek… sorry…"

"I'll, uh… go back, over there," Chat said bashfully and backed up, Marinette shooting daggers at him till he practically vanished back into the shadows again.

"I'm sure letting your secret identity out is not easy on you, Marinette," Master Fu said softly, drawing her attention back. "But you did the right thing turning to Chat Noir."

"Sometimes I wonder," she grumbled.

"Forget about all of that," he said with a smile. "You need to choose a new helper for this fight."

"Yes, but… It almost feels wrong. Like I'm betraying Tikki."

"You are helping Tikki. She would understand, and any kwami would proudly serve you cause to get their sister back." Marinette smiled and looked back down at the number of charms.

"The tiger, Roaar," he went on to say. "As Chat Noir suggested, would indeed give you strength over your opponent."

"Yes, but Chat Noir is already strong," she said almost absentmindedly as she looked over each one. "I think… Subjection would be good in taking back the miraculous…"

She then thought about the fact she would be using the same miraculous as Chloé. And try as she might, she could not stomach the idea right now. She then took the fox miraculous, bringing it instantly to life.

"Why are you focusing on the Miraculous you have given to your friends?"

"Because, I know how they work. I don't know if we have the time for me to learn the full abilities of any the others."

Master Fu smiled at her. "That is a wise decision, Marinette."

She smiled and held her hands open for the kwami to land in once she materialized.

"What's happen'in?" the spunky fox asked in greeting fashion.

"Hi, Trixx, I need help getting Tikki back. A boy who looks like a wolf took my earrings. Are you willing to help?"

"A wolf? Hah! We'll dance around him so much he'll start chasing his tail!"

It gave Marinette a giggle. "Thank you. Trixx, let's pounce!"

Chat was a bit too focused watching the sewers to take note of what happened, turning to look when he heard them walking up and spooked.

"Rena Rouge, where did you… wait…"

He had a very devious smirk as he began intensely looking Marinette over, circling around with his hands and staff behind his back.

"I'm glad to know I can even fool you, Kitty," she remarked, lightly posing to show off.

"Oh, you didn't fool me. I can still tell you're my Ladybug," he said and got an eye roll. "And I always knew you were a vixen," he added leaning in close with a fluttering brow.

She scoffed and gave him a playful shove into the wall. "Agh! You're so annoying…" Of course he did not mind any of this, he was happy to see the spirit he loved return.

"So, what should I call you now?"

"Both of you, save it for later," Master Fu said and ended it with a sigh.

It was then that Wayzz had returned from his end of the tunnels. "Oh, I thought I felt a miraculous awaken. Does that mean we can go now? I may represent a turtle, but I am not a fan of this dark, wet place."

"Yes, Wayzz, we can go now," Master Fu answered.

Chat cleared his throat but still could not shake off all enthusiasm from his voice. "So, what's the plan?"

"Still working on it," Marinette replied. "But with your strength countering his strength, and my illusions countering his illusions, we'll be sure to shed him of a couple of earrings."

"What do you mean countering?" Chat said in his cocky fashion and started posing with his staff over the shoulder. "I surpass him."

"Mmm-hummm," she replied with and crossing her arms.

"Marinette, he doesn't make mere illusions," Master Fu voiced, breaking up their banter. "His distractions are very real. They have caused a great deal of damage and have hurt many people now."

Her face fell. "I, I didn't realize that was the case…"

"Yeah, the bits I saw on the news before I came showed cars being kicked by a horse, and one man's shrubbery being devoured by goats when they weren't running around and headbutting people," Chat added.

"Oh dear…"

"Subjection might have been a better choice," Master Fu commented. "But too late now, you two must go and complete your main task."

"Yes, Master," they said in unison, and each giving their own style of bow. Chat then turned sharply around as he heard something they didn't yet notice, with an intense look Marinette had never seen on him.

"Chat Noir?"

He looked wound up like a spring and ready to unleash fury. But with the rumble of a truck passing overhead, he went partly limp, feeling dumb.

"False alarm?" she asked with a smile, but the look she got back didn't seem happy.

"I'm not so sure, I have been hearing something."

"All the more for you to go now," Master Fu stated and picked up his things.

"What about you?" Chat asked with concern. "What if he did come down here?"

"I am more than able to protect Master Fu for quite some time," Wayzz interjected. "And he is able to message either of you if it comes to it."

"The sooner you find Wolfboy, the sooner you can stop worrying about me," the old man added. "Now go."

And with that, the two hero's left that alcove to find a way back to the surface.

"M'lady, if you would like to give me your hand again," Chat said extending his to her.

"Sorry, Kitty," she then pointed to her mask. The miraculous had changed her eyes to look a lot like his, but in a blue. "I can see now."

Chat just snapped his fingers as he wrinkled his nose. She giggled and made him follow after. It didn't take them long to find an exit to an empty street.

"Oh wow, I am different," Marinette said, catching her reflection in a shop window while Chat replace the manhole cover. Most of her was the same as Rena Rouge, but rather than a wild hairstyle of nine tails, Trixx had given her more of a hood that covered her head and masked her identity further.

"Yeah," Chat said as he sauntered over to her and leaned on his staff. "I still prefer the Ladybug look."

"That's your thing, isn't it?" she said pointedly.

"My...thing?"

"Yeah. The suits. As soon as a new superheroine comes along, you just can't help yourself, can you?"

He gave a nonchalant laugh as he kept looking at her with admiration. "No. Not really. I only can't help myself about one in particular."

"Oh my gosh…" she groaned, which got a real laugh out of him. "Come on, tom cat, let's go!"

He then reached out and caught her hand before she had fully turned away.

"Hey." This time he was smiling at her in the same way he was back at the tower. He then held up his other hand for a fist bump. "We got this."

She looked back and forth from his eyes to the waiting gesture before answering it while smiling.

"We got this."


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 5 coming in hot!

"You can let go now, Chat Noir," she said.

He glanced down at the fact that he was still holding her hand there in front of the shop window for much longer than needed. He grinned. But as she started to look unamused, he returned her hand back to her side, giving another one of his classic grins.

She rolled her eyes at him with an added head shake, but he was still being her silly Chat Noir after everything thus far, and thus involuntarily smiling at him as well. "Come on, Kitty, we got a villain to leash."

"You lead the way, M'lady."

"What joke is that?" she asked smirking. "You're calling your self a villain now?"

He didn't look impressed. "Please, M'lady, cat's don't wear leashes." He then tilted his head as he leaned in with smirking. "Because I'd simply follow you anywhere…"

"Ugh! Your incorrigible!"

Oh, it felt good to see her normal again, to see that spark he loved return, and way too much fun to abuse to keep it this way.

"But you're not denying the villain bit?" she asked. "After all, your type of flirting can be considered a crime."

"You know what side I'm on," he said with a serious tone, one quickly erased as he leaned in even closer upon his staff, fluttering his brows and trying to egg a response out of her. "That is, unless you like bad boys."

Her eyes glanced down and she casually pushed the button that retracted the stick, making him drop like a rock at her feet.

He looked up at her with the most startled expression to date while she was partly leaning down with weight on her knees. "Sorry, Kitty, I'm more for the graceful, quiet type."

He just kept blinking up at her as she walked way. His heart started racing. All lingering doubts were removed from his mind in that one moment. It was like he awoke from a dream, but the reality was vastly more fantastic and harder to believe. He was screaming internally as he started to smile because, holy crap! Marinette WAS Ladybug! This whole time and he didn't see it! It was too good to be true, but he also knew there was much they needed to do before any celebration could take place. For her and their situation, he would bridle this new, swirling emotion he had and focus on the task at hand.

Oh... but when this day is done... the game was on. Or so he would let himself believe in the moment.

 

* * *

 

Now, with all joking and teasing aside, they finally went on the move, giving her new mobility abilities a try in light of the fact she did not have the benefit of her yo-yo to get around. If she thought hard enough about it before making a jump, she was more capable of distance and height than before. Else she would have to resort to some of the same parkour tricks Chat would perform, or rely on him and his staff for especially difficult ones. It was good their search for Wolfboy was taking some time, giving her the chance to figure all of this out, and to truly appreciate how different each miraculous really was in what it imparted to its user.

One thing proving difficult however, was learning how to use the flute's functions. "I can't… seem to figure out the communicator…" she grumbled when they had come to a pause. "…open already…"

While fidgeting more, a small piece popped out from the end of the flute. "Oh- Huh… that doesn't look like an in-ear communicator…" she pouted, as it had little grabby hooks on it and blinked on one end. _This tool was really weird._

"Here," he said, holding out his with the map screen again. "He was last spotted around here…"

"Then where is he…" It was very concerning and they were looking at all angles to make sure he wasn't the one sneaking up on them.

She then looked a little shy. "Chat, would you bring up…"

He smiled at her and brought up the bakery; by this point he had it bookmarked it to a button, leaving her unsure about what to feel.

"What?" he asked, seeing the odd look she was giving him.

"Nothing. And seems nothing has happened either."

"That sounds promising, right?" he asked, referring to her identity still being a secret to everyone else.

"I think I shouldn't hold my breath just yet."

"True," he said casually, closing the communicator up. "Only colors you should be changing is your outfits when we get those earrings back."

She couldn't help but smile as he winked. "Thanks, Chat Noir." She then sighed as she looked out over the neighborhood. "Now, where is that boy…"

 

_"It seems not only Chat Noir is looking for you, but Rena Rouge has joined him,"_ Hawk Moth said to Wolf as he peaked around a corner.  _"You lost her."_

"Master, I followed Ladybug this far…"

_"And obviously Ladybug is not with them. You lost her, and my miraculous. For what I've done for you, this is how you repay me?"_

"I-I'm sorry, Master! I tried-!"

_"I'm not sure you even have the right to call me master anymore."_

Wolf hung his head. "I'm sorry, Hawk Moth…"

_"The only fortune to come out of your blunder is the fact that, without Ladybug and her unique powers to get in the way, there is no one to stop us."_

Wolf shrank some more. "I'm really sorry…"

_"Do you want to redeem yourself?"_

"Yes!"

_"Get me Chat Noir's ring, and Rena Rouge's miraculous around her neck while you are at it, it gives her the power of illusions."_

"Is her power like mine?"

_"No, they have no physical repercussions and vanish upon contact."_

"Then this should be easy."

_"Do not fail me, Wolf. And do not lose that earring also. Understood?"_

"I will not fail you again," he said lowly.

_"Good."_

And with that, Wolf started to formulate his plan. He however started sniffling and rubbing his eye.

"I will not let them ruin this for me…"

 

"You ever get that feeling like you are being watched?" Chat asked her looking around for the countless time.

"Yeah, I don't like how quiet he's gotten," she replied. "Seemed up until a little while ago, he was causing a lot of trouble around here."

"Yeah. Do you think he's trying to draw us out?"

"Possibly. Or…" She looked at him with some worry and dropped her voice more. "Maybe he was in the sewers with us…"

"Master Fu?" he asked, reading into where she was going with this. She nodded, and he looked to his communicator.

"Seeing him is always a risk, and should only be done when desperate…"

"And this wasn't a desperate time?" he asked with a quirked brow. Her confidence was starting to falter again.

She took a deep breath and straightened up a little, getting his hint. "It was. You were right to take me to him."

She then felt his hand on her shoulder. "I'll go and take another look around, and see if I can't check in on him. I'll meet you back here if nothing happens."

"Okay. Thank you."

"That is, if you are okay to be on your own."

She smiled seeing his genuine concern. "Thanks to you, Chat. I am now."

He smiled with pride and quickly made himself scarce while she kept a vigilant eye out for trouble.

Wolf sneakily watched Chat Noir's departure, ensuring the hero wasn't coming his way. Perfect. They had separated.

"Always take out the weak ones first," Wolf commented to himself. He looked about again for where Chat Noir may have gone, only making his move when he felt confident she was truly alone.

"Bleu," he said, touching the forehead of his mask. "I need you to lure her over there…"

The eyes of the mask began to glow around his, and the long flaps started to unwrap from around his shoulders. A short while later something started to catch Marinette's attention on another roof down bellow, busy with vents, chimneys and walls. It was hard to say what it was she saw, but she knew it wasn't healthy and proceeded to investigate with extreme caution.

There seemed to be no one else on the roof itself, or hiding around in the alcoves overlooking it, but there was a small dog running crazy in circles, barking his little head off looking for an escape. She was quite skeptical, but her soft side for animals was starting to get to her.

"Hey little guy," she said after hopping down, looking carefully around before walking from the open space and into cover. "How did you get suck up here?"

The little dog looked at her and started barking more, hopping back and forth and backwards as she would get closer. He was confused, scared, and unsure about her.

"I'm not going to hurt you," she said sweetly, reaching a hand out for him to smell.

The little dog just kept his distance, barking and darting about like a wound up top, even doing circles around some the structures to come back and bark at her more. Then it ran away again out of sight, and she realized then it was more blue than gray.

She spun around without any prompt and readied the flute, blocking the surprise attack as Wolf dropped in on her. "Nice try!"

"Foxes are tricky to trap," he commented. For a boy not much younger or taller than herself, he looked absolutely menacing right now with how hard locked his eyes were on her. "Too bad you are not getting away from me."

"Well I certainly had no intentions of running."

"Where's Ladybug?" he then asked.

"Like I'm telling you!" she snapped back.

With that, he charged at her, dagger raised, requiring quick reflexes to fight off his physical attacks. She was able to parry and dodge each strike he went to make, jumping up and away to a new ledge or roof when needed, always making him second guess where she was going to go next.

But it was clear this wasn't going to be enough. If she still had her yo-yo, this would be a different story, as it was a familiar extension of herself, almost was like a second person with how she could divert it and entangle people. With just the flute as a short staff and her martial skills alone, she had not yet landed a blow or parry that left him at a disadvantage, at best she was going to tire him out if this kept up.

_"Her charm, Wolf! Take it and she'll be powerless!"_

He made one move she miss judged, dropping his weapon in favor of grabbing hers at the wrist. She managed to react just in time to lock fingers with him when he went to use a palm strike to snatch the necklace. Now in grips with one another, a tug-o-war struggle ensued, she would need to think as fast as she could move her feet to turn this in her favor.

In a blink she saw her opportunity and darted to one side, twisting him to face that direction so that the low sun was shining in his face.

"You don't have the strength to get away from me," he growled.

"You maybe stronger, but I have something you don't," she replied.

"And that is?"

The devious grin should have been warning enough. "A pack."

He didn't see Chat Noir coming. Howling out when the staff struck his side and again when Chat sent him flying back by inserted himself between them. "Paws off the lady!"

This gave her a chance to catch her breath. "Thanks, Kitty. I'm glad you came back."

"My instincts told me he was up to something," Chat replied, eyes lock hard onto Wolf, poised to react to anything.

Wolf scrambled to get back on his feet, finding his dropped dagger in the process, but clearly was wincing as he rubbed his jaw.

"Wow, Chat Noir, it looked like you actually hurt him…"

"Good…" came the flat reply, eyes narrowing more.

Wolf stood bristling with rage, looking like a cornered animal as they started to circle him.

"Gerrr-! Where's Ladybug!" he ordered. "I smell her on you!"

"What more could you want from her??" Chat hissed.

"She has something I need," Wolf growled, eyes narrowing down. "And I will not let some mangy cat stand in my way!" With that he rushed Chat, his blade attack easily blocked, but Wolf managed to take a hold of the collar of Chat's suit, and kept coming in closer.

Chat's reaction was to throw himself onto his back, pulling Wolf with him and kicked him off over his head some feet before flipping back into stance. Wolf obviously did not have experience like Chat Noir, landing in a stunned heap.

"Did you hear that?" Chat asked over his shoulder, he took a defense position between himself and Marinette again.

"Yes, that means he thinks I still have them." Her heart started to sink. "Or one. If he dropped it… it could be anywhere…"

"Not one inch of this city will go unsearched, M'lady."

"Gerrr! What are you two talking about!" Wolf snapped as he started to square himself up with Chat again.

"About how you are all bark and no bite, Wolfboy!" Chat spat.

"I am no boy!" he roared. "I AM Wolf! And I will rip you both to shreds!"

"You sure about that?" Chat asked and a sneer. "Cause all I hear is a whiny child pretending to be a yappy little dog!"

"Are you sure you should be taunting him like that, Chat?" she asked with surprise.

Too late though, the comment found its mark and Wolf was now in a blind rage, instantly turning the situation into a fast paced, two-on-one battle. Chat and Mari tag-teamed their attacks and defenses against him, finding good moments of overpowering him, but more often he was proving to be a hard challenge that was quick to recover from everything they threw at him.

This was going nowhere, even if one managed to grab Wolf, the other hardly had enough time to search him before they both ended up back at square one.

Marinette then found herself in a very bad position after Wolf kicked Chat off himself and turned on her, tackling her into the base of the wall with a tight grip upon the fabric around her neck. Their eyes met, and as he raised his other hand up in a tight clenched fist.

Fortunately the black that flashed before her eyes was her partner coming right into their intimate tangle, delivering a dizzying blow that threw Wolf right off her.

She finally had an idea and ducked out of sight to use her power while the two of them wrestled.

Marinette's current appearance then appeared on top of one of the structures to look down at them.

"Fine, Wolf! You win!" she shouted and opened her hand to show a Ladybug earring. "Just don't hurt us!"

"So, you had it all along!" he shouted and threw Chat Noir hard towards the edge of the building, poised to go after her.

"Yes! I had it! But you can just go fetch it yourself!"

And with that, she threw the earring as hard as she could to the apartments and streets stretching out below.

Wolf looked pale as he watched the tiny item fly away into nothingness, and nearly trampled Chat while chasing it off the building.

"What was that??" Chat yelled looking up at her, still laying on the ground. Moments later he saw the real her jump up and brush the illusion out of existence. She then came to help him up.

"I have an idea," she said and untransformed right there to feed Trixx one of Tikki's reserve macarons. The kwami was clearly loving it as she took a rest on her shoulder.

"Oh good, I love your plans," he said, clearly winded.

"It's not so much a plan, but because he reacted to me having just one earring, I think I know why he started chasing me in the first place. I think it might have dropped back in that alley he caught me in."

"Great. I'll keep him busy then while you find it," he said between breaths and turned to leave. She caught his one hand and wrist.

"Chat, are you sure you can handle him on your own?" Her eyes full of concern.

He smiled and rested his hand on her free shoulder. "Only Ladybug can capture akumas, right? The sooner we have her back, the sooner we can end this."

"But what about you?" she pressed.

"I'll be fine. I always love your help. Fighting as a duo… nothing can beat that dance. But sometimes, it's harder because I don't want to confuse targets."

She blinked at him as she searched his eyes, feeling a bit awkward knowing he was talking directly to her, Marinette.

"I can hold him off for as long as it takes. I've caught my breath now," he went on to say. He then brought his hand up to the side of her face with a smile. "And maybe by the time you come back, I'll have a surprise for you."

She was clearly unsure about what to do and what to think of the look he had for her in his eyes. He then came in and kissed her forehead before urging her to go. Looking about for Wolf in all directions when he stepped back before leaving her there with a simple hop over the ledge.

She stood stunned at what just happened.

Trixx looked back and forth between them, finally ending on Marinette when Chat left. "Dawwwww…"

That was enough to break the spell. "Don't start!" she said through gritted teeth. The fox kwami only giggled. "Come on, Trixx, we have half a city to cross and an earring to find!"

"You know what to say!" came the reply, finishing the last bite of her macaron.

 

* * *

 

_"You FOOL!"_ Hawk Moth roared in Wolf's head.

"It had to have landed over here, Master!" Wolf said looking frantically upon the ground.

_"How can you not see she tricked you! They had no reason to give you the other earring!"_

"But, Master, I-"

_"You are a disappointment,"_ Hawk Moth stated, crushing the boy's heart.

Wolf tensed suddenly as his nose twitched, rolling to the side at the last second, dodging Chat Noir's staff strike when he dropped from the sky

He turned to face him. "Where's Rena Rouge?"

"It's just you and me now, pup," Chat replied, retracting the staff to match his height when he stood. He then held his hand out and twitched his clawed fingers towards himself with a devilish smirk. "Bring it on."

_"Your only saving grace is not being the only fool, but I would not trust him,"_ Hawk Moth said next.  _"Watch your flank even though she may have transformed back after using up her power. This may be your only chance to get Chat Noir's miraculous. You, son, are stronger than him."_

Wolf started to puff up with renewal and hate. "Fine by me. Seeing as canines and cats have always been at war with each other."

"Well, now we can find out who is the superior species…"

Without Marinette around now, Chat had dropped all reservations, slipping deeper into a serious side of himself than he had before. This was a fight he could not lose. This fight felt personal now for all the pain Marinette went though. And without intent of holding anything back, he was going to make sure Wolf paid for it.


	6. Chapter 6

Wolf was one of the hardest akumas Chat had to fight on his own. Constantly going back and forth with blows, advantage and slander. Chat was relentless when it came to the teasing, exploiting the fact that this villain was highly sensitive, over reacting to the point that he left himself at a disadvantage, and Chat was also taking a sick kind of joy from it.

"You know, if it wasn't so much playing around with you, I'd have ended this a while ago."

"What does that mean??" Wolf shouted, their two weapons clashing once again. "You're calling me a mouse now??"

"Well you sure sound like one," Chat sneered. "Squeak, squeak, squeak!"

Most of the time Chat had used these moments to just keep Wolf worn out, to toss him to the side when he was dangerously close to having the upper hand in their fight. This time though, Chat struck him with a solid kick to the chest, sending him hard into the brick wall.

"Maybe if you give up I might let you run back into your little hole," Chat said, posing with his extended staff across a shoulder and held his hand out. "Give it back."

"What? The earring?" Wolf said. "No, it belongs to my master! Eh-!"

Chat then went into full threat by nearly striking him when he pointed the staff. "Let's try that again!"

Wolf swiped out and latched onto the staff, yanking it not only to the side but tried to pull himself at Chat Noir. Didn't work as Chat dodged to the side, using the momentum of his own body in junction with the staffs' ability to change length, and he whipped Wolf right past and into a new heap.

Chat then tried to tackle him before he could get back up, attempting to pin Wolf face-first into the ground while he searched for a pocket. This however was not a success, getting locked into a wrestling match, and although Chat had the height advantage over Wolf in most cases, Wolf was just that much stronger in these moments.

_"Get his ring, Wolf!"_ Hawk Moth ordered. But that was not an option Chat left open for him. The moment Wolf would try, Chat would just slipped out of the hold and into a new slippery tussle. 

This time, it was Chat that got kicked, staggering back some but refused to show weakness or relent as he swept his staff off the ground.

"Is that the best you got??" Chat challenged.

Apparently so, cause Wolf suddenly started running. "Huh? Oh heck no!"

He gave chase and suddenly found himself struck as he ran head first around the corner, rolling out into the street.

"You were saying, you stupid cat??" Wolf barked as he jumped him.

This was bad. People were screaming while running. Cars were narrowly missing them as they started tumbling about into traffic. Chat was getting the worst of it and struggling to breath.

"HEY!" came a shout, and an icy drink hit Wolf in the back, exploding in a glorious spray of coffee, milk and hazelnut aroma. It managed to cause the villain to loosen his grip off Chat's neck, glancing back at Alya with a look of blood-lust.

She was standing there filming on her phone, but instantly realized she might have gotten a little carried away. "You- uh… uh oh…"

It saved Chat from one problem and gave him another. The moment he choked in three fresh breaths he had to turn the tides before Wolf outright murdered his classmate, and tried to keep hold on him. A new round of fists, kicks, shakes and grabs ensued, with cars acting as softer bumpers than the asphalt when one threw the other.

At first, Alya thought this one of the best up close fight to dates. But after Wolf managed to kick Chat Noir off himself again, with Chat not showing signs of springing back like he normally does, she started to falter.

"Uh, Ladypeeps, this does not look good!" she said, still filming. "Chat Noir seems hurt, and Ladybug is nowhere in sight!"

Then the villain's eyes landed on her. "Too bad, isn't it?" he said. A wicked smile streaked across his face and he started to coil up to pounce, giving a light shake as the cold liquid kept dripping off. "You ruined my coat… and wasted food!"

Now Alya began putting distance between herself and him. It was not going to be enough when Wolf rushed in, being saved at the last moment because Chat Noir had managed to get back into the game.

"AHHK-K-K-KAHGH-!"

Wolf tried to yell, howl, scream – but his air way was cut off as Chat choked him with use of his staff, having it tight inside one elbow as he pulled the other end back towards himself. Wolf tried to struggle free. Kicking, elbowing and flailing. But Chat managed to use his height advantage to take Wolf off the ground, taking the blows as he leaned back into a car so to keep steady.

"Just… go to… sleep now…" he strained to say. "Go- to sleep…"

"B-bleu-!" Wolf squeaked out, trying everything he could to get out of the hold. "Help…"

"You're just a lone wolf in this fight," Chat managed to say next to his ear. Wolf was finally starting to weaken.

Then in front of the whole world, the villain changed. The fleece wolf hat upon the boy's head came off as the super-villain suit he wore vanished, and there in Chat Noir's death-grip was a twelve-year-old boy failing for his life.

Chat panicked. Everyone dumb enough to hang around was watching with horror, Alya was still filming from the other side of the street, and he didn't actually want to hurt the innocent.

He quickly put the boy down onto his hands and knees, sputtering and coughing his heart out.

"Hey…" Chat was panting and placed a hand upon the boy as he knelt alongside. "I'm sorry. Are you okay? I… I didn't expect you to…"

"Bleu, sick um!" the boy coughed.

The hat came to life from where it lay in the street, lifting a foot or so off the ground before it transformed into an actual wolf flying right at Chat Noir with mouth wide open.

The beast was easily three times his size, and all Chat could do to react was bring his staff up in front of him, catching it into the wolf's jaws before he was pinned flat onto his back. It was going wild trying to rip into him, throwing the staff too and fro, repeatedly biting down in a growling, snarling frenzy like nothing Chat had witnessed before. All he could do was hold on for dear life, staring up at the horror.

"You know, dogs and cats can get along!" Chat shouted, trying to hold as much distance between himself and those gnarly looking teeth. Try as he might, he couldn't scoot or kick to get away, he was pinned down completely.

The boy laughed slowly as he steadied himself in what seemed to be his natural form. "That was never an option."

_"Fantastic, Wolf! Perhaps I was wrong about you after all."_ Hawk Moth cheered, the boy looked delighted. _"He can no longer fight you. Helpless no matter what happens now. Take his ring and this fight will end once and for all."_

"I'll have your ring now, you mangy cat."

"What are you doing?!" Alya screamed. "Don't listen to Hawk Moth!"

"You're next!" he snapped, looking sharply at her with a point.

"Alya!" Chat squeaked. "Just- RUN!"

"To where?" Wolf scoffed. "I'll find you. I'll find anyone that opposes master Hawk Moth. Just like I did Ladybug!"

"Ladybug?" Alya repeated to herself. "Ladybloggers… I don't know what he means…"

"Lies! All lies!" Chat yelled, slowly losing the fight with the beast. " _Just go!_ "

"Hardly!" Wolf yelled and foolishly held the single prize up from his pocket, getting a gasp from Alya, and a hot glare from Chat. "Without your Ladybug, Hawk Moth will win this day!"

_"WOLF! Stop playing around!"_ Hawk Moth yelled. _"Get me Chat Noir's ring!!!"_

He then looked down at Chat after tucking the earring back into the pouch of the jacket he wore, and kneeled down to grip his right wrist.

"CATACLYSM!!!" Chat yelled, instantly the dark, chaotic powers of destruction came and resided within the palm of his hand.

_"WOLF! STOP!"_ Hawk Moth screamed.  _"You'll be destroyed if you touch his ring now! You'll have to wait till he transforms back."_

"Alya! Stay back!" Chat ordered, seeing her start to come to his rescue.

"I guess I'll just deal with her for now," Wolf said turning to face Alya. "I don't need Bleu for you."

"You don't want to try me!" she yelled.

There was only one thing immune to Chat Noir's destructive power, and that was his staff, which he let slip from his right hand.

Two events played out in that instant:

The amount of force from the beast's weight made the length of the staff swing out along the ground, taking the boy's feet right out from under him, and flipped him hard onto his back. Without the protective suit he got the wind knocked out of him, and he withered in pain as he clutched his head from bouncing on the ground.

And, Chat Noir's hand shot straight at the beast before its hungry jaws came down on him, making it shriek in its own pain and reeled away like a shot of lightning. It trashed about in the street til it decayed into a heap of ash.

"NO!" the boy cried as he watched, still coiled up on the ground. He then found himself getting lifted up by a tight grip of his jacket collar, forced to look down the length of Chat Noir's arm into a furious face. He tried to wriggle and kick, but Chat had him held up high.

"YOU are  _lucky_ I am going to have to follow after that akuma!" Chat growled. "You have caused so much trouble! And- and… why are you not transforming…"

Normally when the item the akuma resided in was destroyed, the victim had a physical change to show that Hawk Moth's power had left them. Was it not obvious because Wolf could change to look normal? Did Chat miss it? Was he just torturing this poor boy now? It certainly did not look good on video.

"Chat Noir!" Alya managed to scream, but it was hardly enough warning for him to see what was happening.

The boy's hat had not actually been destroyed, only its illusion, and while he was focusing on the boy, the hat had come back to life and floated up from behind to land on his head. Chat just watched wide-eyed as it fitted itself down in place, and the long arms wrapped around the boy's neck like a warm hug.

It was then that Wolf transformed back into his villainous self, that toothy grin plastered on his stupid face, and with both feet he kicked Chat hard in the chest. Yet another dent was added to one of the cars.

Wolf dropped to the ground some feet back, but he put more distance down than he needed to. He suddenly felt overwhelmed, watching Chat Noir take position between himself and Alya, looking as strong as ever, while Hawk Moth was trying to talk to him. It was too much. He felt panic and fear take hold, wanting to run, but was too afraid to even turn his back to the hero.

Chat desperately needed to rest, the ring started beeping as it lost its first pad, but there was no way he was going to risk losing Wolf.

But, seeing he had spare moments in their stand off, Chat then pressed the end of his staff to get the ear-piece communicator and casually stuck it in, hearing it beep as it tried reaching out to any transformed hero.

He then saw the phone creep up into his peripheral as Alya was trying to take advantage of this shot.

"Wh-hey! What are you doing??" she yelped.

Alya was a great friend. He knew she meant well. That her blog was important. That she was a perfect fit for his best friend – but right now it took everything he had to not crush the phone or her hands holding it when he reached out and covered it.

His eyes did not leave Wolf, not liking the look he was suddenly getting. "When you are told to run and hide, you do so!" he spat in her direction. "You got less than a minute to disappear, else I may not be able to protect either of us."

"Can you at least tell me what's going on? Like, who he is? Why he has a Ladybug earring. And where she is?" All Chat did was tense up more, the phone starting to creak as his claws pressed painfully into her hand. "ACK! Fine! I'll go! But I did distract him for you, don't I at least get a 'thank you??' "

"Sure," he growled and roughly pushed her back. He shifted and split the staff in two.

_"I can tell you are scared,"_ Hawk Moth said in Wolf's head, together watching as Chat Noir ready himself for another round.  _"He hurt your dear friend, showing he is vastly stronger than I had prepared you for. In that, I failed you._

_"But wolves are known for their endurance, and he only has a few minutes before he will have no choice but to transform back. You, my boy, will win this fight. I have faith in you."_

"Will you forgive me for my mistakes, Master?" Wolf asked, his voice weak.

_"I will. If you accomplish this, Wolf, you will have proven yourself worthy to be called one of my own."_

The in-ear device continued to beep away without reply. The only plan Chat had was to draw Wolf away from here, and to hold out as long as possible. He then ran his hand along his side, feeling the little studded gem he had stolen back sitting comfortably in the bottom of the pocket.

"Please hurry, Ladybug…"


	7. Chapter 7

For Marinette, traveling across Paris never felt like such a stressful feat as it did today. Yes, it would have been impossible had she been without any powers, but she didn't want to leave Chat Noir to fight on his own any longer than needed.

She felt turned around, unsure as to where she should start the search. All the tight alleyways in this area felt alike. Was it two streets over this way she found Wolf? Three? Five, going north then east?? It took returning a second time to the spot she had called Chat from to actually put her anxiety to rest and figure it out, darting on over and dropping down into that same narrow stretch as she had earlier in the day.

"Unpounce," she said after a quick look around.

"What are we doing here?" Trixx asked, her little face pulled back in a sneer. "It feels cold and smells…"

"This is where Wolf tricked me," Marinette explained, already looking the ground over. "I have a suspicion he might have dropped one of my earrings around here. Can you help me find it?"

"You can count on me!"

And together they started searching every inch of that alley, picking at the litter, cracks and grime. Marinette was starting to lose hope after what felt like an hour went by, her search moving out into the cross-way.

"Oh please… oh please…"

"Marinette!" Trixx cried in a volume seemingly impossible for such a tiny creature. "Here!"

He heart skipped a beat, and her feet lost their grip when she tried to scramble over. Trixx was hovering and pointing down at the earring, turned down onto its face so all you could see was the post sticking up, half buried in the grit of the ground.

"Oh, Trixx! You did it! You found it!" The relief threatened tears as Marinette stood cleaning it off, and Trixx did happy somersaults around her. "But… what's wrong with it?"

The earring was acting strange, weakly glowing the Ladybug colors in slow pulses, neither fulling turning black nor red. Trixx looked sad.

"Because Tikki is split between two miraculous, she can't simply leave them when they are involuntarily removed," Trixx explained. [Refer to theory notes at end.]

"What does that mean?" Marinette asked concerned.

"If you lost the fox miraculous while Rena Rouge, I could leave it for a time as it's one item. But Tikki can't leave hers if they are separated." They then looked down to the tiny gem. "And, because the earrings have been separated for so long now, she's starting to hurt and weaken."

"Oh no!" Marinette gasped. The last thing she wanted in the world was to see Tikki hurt. She already knew kwami could get sick, but what this would do to her was something Marinette did not want to know.

"Don't put it on!" Trixx cried and flitted about her face. "You're not supposed to wear two miraculous at the same time! Tikki is going to need all your energy to recover, and I don't know what it would do to her having to share you with me!"

"Okay! Okay!" Marinette cried, recoiling back some. She then pinned it into the lining of her bag so to not lose it again. "Oh, Tikki… please hold on just a little longer. Trixx, we are not yet done. If Chat Noir hasn't yet gotten the other earring off Wolf, I think I'm going to need your help again."

"You can count on me!"

"Trixx, let's pounce!"

And off she was once again, praying Chat and Wolf had not gone too far from where she left them. But the moment she got onto the roof top, she noticed the flute was making a strange noise. Seeing a blinking light, she was rewarded with an ear piece and stuck it in.

"Hey! I think I figured the communicator out!"

"Great! HELP!" Chat yelled back.

"Where are you??"

"Some- eh!"

"Chat??"

"I'm going to change back!"

Oh no… She looked at the flute and started fighting it more, finally getting a screen to pop out and poked at till Chat's marker showed up on the map.

"I do have- eh! A gift for you though," he said. She felt her heart rise in her chest. But hearing him struggling put her on edge. He was warn out, and Wolf was constantly taunting him in the background. "Left pocket-! Wait- ack! How this will work..."

"Chat, I'm not that far away, please hang on!"

Indeed. After having fought their way across Paris, Chat and Wolf returned to where it all started. She raced off, feeling on occasion into her suit to ensure she still had the one earring.

Chat had lured Wolf back onto a roof top. It made for precarious moments as they continued to test and knock each other around, but at least they were above watching eyes, away from Alya, and at the worst sealed his doom when he would change back for there was nowhere to run.

Marinette found the one location higher than them to stop at, watching how tired Chat had become.

"Chat Noir, I'm sorry I took so long! I'm almost there."

"It's fine, Bugaboo," he said. "Just know I still love you…"

"Chat…"

Wolf falter in his next attack and looked weirded out. "What..?"

There was blinks from both of them, and Chat realized Wolf hadn't figured out he was having a phone conversation during the fight. So he just went with it and switched into his normal charming self, though thoroughly tired. "Because you've managed to best me. You have earned my respects. My heart. Even if you are following the orders of a dirty, rotten coward."

Wolf took another step back. "What are you doing?"

"Kitty, try and keep him distracted just a little longer, I'm sending Trixx in."

"What?" Chat Noir said looking coy at Wolf, placing his hand upon his heart with a warm smile. "Don't you feel it too?"

_"Wolf, Chat Noir has either lost his mine or is up to something, but he's about to transform back!"_ Hawk Moth roared and Wolf rushed forward.

Chat dropped the staff that was now one piece again, and locked grips with Wolf. "Just can't have enough of me, eh?"

"EH! Stop being weird!" Wolf cried looking repulsed.

"What? Has my soulful words touched you?" Chat said, keeping up a soft look and this time being the one to refuse to let Wolf get away.

"You can just shut up! This is some ploy!"

"I'm hurt." Chat planted his boot down to keep Wolf from pulling back any further. "I'm speaking from the heart. I care."

"You don't care!" Wolf snapped, and their eyes locked. "No one but Hawk Moth ever cared! And you- how dare you try to trick me! You are like every one else!"

"That man cares about no one but himself," chat replied.

"He cares about his own."

"What does that even mean?" Chat sneered, his feet were starting to slip, he could hear his ring beeping into the final stage. How long had it been doing it though?

Chat felt something hit his side, then from the corner of his eye a little orange streak zip back across the building tops. He smirked.

"What is the point of belonging to someone that only hurts people?"

There was a twinge of doubt that flashed through Wolf's eyes, and somewhere down underneath all the hate stacked up, Chat felt the prick of sympathy for this boy, knowing he was only a victim of more than Hawk Moth's exploits.

"Give up, Wolf! You lost!" Ladybug cried as she came leaping down.

_"Impossible! She couldn't have gotten it back!"_ Hawk Moth cried.  _"It must be a trick!"_

But the yo-yo was not an illusion, and within moments Wolf was wrapped up tighter than a fly caught by a spider, now strung upside down from an antenna poll.

Chat Noir collapsed to his knees.

"Chat??" She looked down at him with worry.

"I'm fine," he breathed, the ring was beeping wildly, but he rushed forward and started wrestling with the arms of the wolf's mask to unwrap it. "The akuma has possessed his hat! It will come-AHHHHAAA!" Wolf had managed to bite right onto Chat's arm. "That's cheating! LET GO!!!"

The only way to make Wolf release was a hard elbow to the stomach.

"Chat, you are going to change back!" she reminded, leaning on the line to keep Wolf suspended.

"I'm not leaving you alone with this little monster!" he spat, his eyes wild with anger.

"Then this must be fore you," she said, and dropped the item her Lucky Charm had provided prior to her joining them. It was a red balaclava covered in ladybug spots. She had yet to see what to do with it, so Chat put it on, looking ridiculous.

"Bleu… help…" Wolf whimpered. The more he struggled the tighter the string got around him. The eyes glowed, he lost his villain suit when the hat suddenly went flying from him to land some feet over to transform.

Ladybug gasped, but Chat stood ready to fight it again. Her eyes then saw what needed to be done.

"Chat! The mask! Put it Wolf!"

"The wolf??" he shrieked.

"NO! On him!"

So Chat ripped it off his own head and bagged up the boy's, getting an angry yell and thrash. That did it. With the boy's head covered, the possessed wolf hat stopped its transformation and tried to fly back to him, sensing he was in danger.

Chat grabbed it out of the air though. Too furious and worked up to even take pleasure when he ripped it in two. Ladybug let the boy drop right there, who managed to take the ski mask off just in time to see his friend being destroyed.

"NO!"

Finally. Finally that glorious sight Chat wanted to see before.

The akuma took to the air and Ladybug was quick to capture it before it flew away. The boy he had been fighting had that distinct change to show he was no longer under Hawk Moth's control, now sitting stunned, looking about dumbfounded as to how he ended up here.

Chat however could not let himself believe it at first. His trickery did it's damage. Chat wasn't ready to surrender and wanted to fight once more. All he could hear was the wild beeping and his own heart racing. All he could see in the boy was the trouble he caused, and all he could feel was the exhaustion and pain from their fight.

His expression frightened both the boy and Ladybug. "Kitty?"

He snapped right to Ladybug's bluebell eyes. The sound of the ring changed, he could feel inside something was wrong. Plagg. Plagg couldn't hold this form any longer. He glanced back to the boy who was picking up the two pieces of his beloved wolf hat. He glanced back into the eyes of the girl he loved. He was going to change back.

"Bye!" he then shouted and leaped right off the building, catching a drainage pipe on his way down.

Ladybug knew he had to leave, else the boy would see him, but something hurt to be left here alone. She had a job to finish though, and put her attention where it needed to be. He looked devastated as he sniffled over what remained of his only friend.

She picked up the balaclava and threw it into the air. "Miraculous Ladybug!" and instantly an army of magical ladybugs went out from that roof top to fix the damages caused today, including the two pieces of the hat.

The boy's eyes lit up with amazement to see it looking brand new, and clutched it to his chest with joy. He then saw her stepping closer and looked up at her with fear.

"It's okay, sweetheart."

"Ladybug!" He didn't know what to say after that, only pulling his hat onto his head and started scooting away from her. "Stay back!"

"You're not in trouble," she reassured. "I'm here to help."

But that didn't seem to matter. She didn't want him get close to her, just because of everything prior – but she certainly didn't want to see him run away. She thought he was trapped on the roof with her, but horror kicked her in the gut when she watched him jump over a ledge. At first, she thought he was dead, but found that the fire escape was right there, and he was making quick work of getting down.

"Wait!" she called after. "I just want to talk to you!"

"Leave me alone!!!" he cried, jumping to the ground and took off running.

She felt sad. This wasn't how it should ever end. She then had an idea and looked at her yo-yo, doing a different action with it and popped out a piece that was different from the ear-bud she normally took from the middle spot. She then flung it as hard as she could, managing to get it to land upon his back. The little hooks of the tracker took hold, and she could see now see him on the map.

She then drew in a deep breath and let the purified akuma free.

 

* * *

 

As Chat Noir had slid down the pipe coming off the building, his transformation broke somewhere near the bottom, losing his ability to hang on without pain and dropped the remaining dozen feet. Poor Plagg had fallen down faster as he left the ring, curling up tight and braced himself thinking Adrien was going to land right on him. Fortunately, the teen had skills outside of those the miraculous gave him, making him able to land in such a way that he not only spared himself grievous injuries, but miss squishing his tiny friend.

Adrien then scooped Plagg up in his hands and ran as fast as his legs could go despite the limp, putting as much distance down as he could from that building. From that neighborhood. From Ladybug.

He just ran. It was all he knew to do at the moment. He ran until his endurance hit rock bottom, until the exhaustion from the day finally caught up with him, and he found himself staggering at the bank of the Seine where he came to stop between a pillar and the wall.

His lungs burned from breathing so hard, as well as he legs. They were failing him as he leaned over, so he put his back the wall for support, coughing away and thought he was going to be sick.

Plagg was tucked into his shirt pocket, looking up at him with worry even though he himself was not all that much better. "You okay?"

Adrien couldn't answer. Just shook his head, his sweaty hair sticking to his face as he stared at the ground. Finally, he came to slide down the wall and sit on his heals, the desperate gasps for air starting to sound a lot like sobs.

"Do you think… she's okay?" Adrien finally said.

"Ladybug?" Plagg asked.

He nodded. "I… I shouldn't have left her alone with him…"

"Had you stayed they both would have learned who you are," Plagg reminded.

"I don't care if Ladybug knows who I am… If Marinette…"

"I think you do," Plagg stated and let Adrien take him out of the pocket to hold in front of himself. "You humans are so complicated. To be honest, I'm surprised you didn't just transform back when she told you who she was. To hold her and kiss her, and tell her _allll_ was going to be okay. That she didn't need to be scared." He was dramatically, holding himself tightly with his little arms.

"I couldn't do that to her," Adrien replied.

"Why?"

"Because she was scared out of her mind!" Adrien was now starting to shake. "Marinette was terrified! She was freaking out… Learning who I was would have been too much. I love her, but I wasn't about to break her more!"

"Okay! Okay. I was just saying."

"If the circumstances were different, Plagg… I might have done just that… But… it wasn't supposed to be like this…"

"What? Tell each other who you really were? How is it suppose to happen?" Plagg asked. Adrien couldn't answer. "You were the one what was scared."

"What are you talking about?"

"You think I can't tell?" Plagg asked looking smug. "You doubted Marinette was telling you the truth. And now you feel horrible cause you didn't want to believe her."

Adrien looked troubled. He also looked angry for being turned on like this.

"And it was smart," Plagg when on to say. "She would say the same thing, so I don't know why you are beating yourself up over it."

"Plagg, would you not do this to me right now," Adrien finally said with some hostility.

"Alright. Not like I care anyway," Plagg said, feigning sounding bored. "But you look sick."

Adrien finally started to calm down enough to reflect upon himself, feeling it all. "I'm... really tired…"

"Hummm, you don't say," Plagg replied sounding unimpressed.

"And… I actually hurt." He then stiffly shifted to actually sit on the ground and stretch his legs out before him, still holding Plagg in one hand.

"I'm sure you are. I wonder how much worse it would have been if you didn't have powers," Plagg grouched, laying in his palm and flicking his tail about in annoyance.

"And my friend thinks I don't understand he has it worse than me," Adrien said.

Plagg just blinked up at Adrien's tired smile. "Okay, I'll give you that one." Plagg then floated up and came up to him to give the worlds tiniest hug to his master, getting it returned with a single hand cupping around him. "You need to be more careful."

"Thank you, Plagg. I know I can be oblivious at time, and take the suit for granted. But I couldn't do any of this without you."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah… You're welcome. But you know I can't stand this mushy stuff, bleh!" he said jumping back and Adrien felt he could laugh. He then watched his little friend dive into the other pocket of his shirt. "And good thing both of these babies didn't get squished," Plagg said waiving a piece of rank Camembert. "Else I just might not be so forgiving. You did take a big risk."

"I know I pushed it… I just…"

"Just didn't want to risk Ladybug being alone with that kid. I get it. Hawk Moth really picked a winner today."

"Do you think she's okay?" Adrien asked, worried once again.

"You obviously were too busy running to see the magic ladybugs over head."

There was a sigh of relief that came from Adrien, but Plagg could see he wasn't satisfied and disliked liked what it meant.

"Plagg, how are you feeling? Have you rested enough?"

"Alright, I see where this is going," Plagg grumbled. "You can't even stand, why do you want to go find her?"

"I know she's okay. I'm sure she's okay…"

"Yeah, you are doing a good job convincing one of us of that," Plagg yawned, reclining in the pocket and snacked away.

"Plagg… I don't ever want to see her that scared again…"

"Too bad. Because it will happen again. I'll bet you a year's worth of cheese on it."

"Plagg! Don't say that!"

"What? It's true. Whether it's because of Hawk Moth or because of something else in life, you will see her like that again. That is if you are still serious about this 'love of my life' stuff you keep grossing me out with."

Adrien felt as if he was cut to his core. Silenced as Plagg laid on him something serious and deep for once.

"Sooo.... Now it's over, are you going to tell her?"

"Tell her? Who I am?" he asked back, starting to lose focus.

"Yeah. Or you just going to keep wooing her as Chat Noir?"

Adrien looked distant in thought and Plagg sat up.

"Hang on, you're not giving up just because she's Marinette, are you?"

"No. I'm not giving up on her," he said distantly. "But we're not supposed to know who each other are…"

"But… you know who she is now."

Adrien nodded. "I wouldn't tell a soul who she was. I wouldn't betray her like that."

"It's what you always wanted though."

"Was it?" Adrien said distantly.

"Wait… I'm confused now."

"So am I, Plagg… And maybe scared…"

"Well, that's new. What could Adrien Agreste, hot fashion model and heart throb of Paris, be afraid of?"

"Marinette's not into that..." he replied. "And she's my friend..."

"Seriously... get over it. You're trying to tell me you didn't also have a crush on Marinette?"

"I mean... well..." Adrien sighed. "I was happy for her seeing her with Luka..." He looked into the distance again, off towards the boats.

"Hold up. That sleepy guitar player?" Plagg asked with a raised brow.

Adrien finally tried to make himself stand up, finding himself extremely weak and off balanced.

"When Ladybug had said there was another boy, I had no idea of knowing who. But I've met Luka. I've seen him with Marinette. And Marinette has made it clear in the past she's not a fan of Chat Noir. Why confuse things more…"

Plagg just blinked at him for a bit. "This is all stupid!"

"I feel stupid," Adrien spat, wincing as he straightened himself up. "I have a lot to figure out…"

"Adrien, I'm going to tell you something," Plagg then said, getting his undivided attention as he came to float in front of his face. Plagg then rammed his head into Adrien's causing him to flinch in pain.

"OW!"

"You're fourteen! Stop over thinking this!" the kwami yelled, flailing his little arms wildly in the air. "Seriously! Young relationships it shouldn't be this complicated! Human relationships shouldn't be this complicated! YOU'RE ALL SO COMPLICATED!"

Adrien let a weak chuckle escape as he rubbed his head. "Sorry, human relationships aren't as simple as cheese."

Plagg calmed down drastically and blinked. "What's wrong with my relationship with cheese?"

"Plagg, cheese can't love you back. We need that."

Plagg just crossed his arms and turned away. "If cheese didn't love me back, it wouldn't be so delicious…"

Adrien just groaned and Plagg laughed.

"Are you good?" Adrien asked, flexing himself some and looking at the ring on his hand. "I want to make sure she's okay."

"So, you haven't given up," Plagg said accusingly.

"No. Never," Adrien admitted. "She's even more amazing now."

"Buuuut?"

Adrien looked down at him. "Are you good to transform?"

"Yeah," Plagg growled. "I'm good…"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In regards to kwami's freedoms in leaving their miraculous, I have taken some creative freedoms for this story as an afterthought of cannon came to me.  
> In the freezer scene of Lady Wifi, we saw that when Adrien lost his ring while still Chat Noir, Plagg was hovering there with him while looking for it: meaning that somehow, kwami could exist in the physical world regardless if their miraculous was being worn, and perhaps this was only when they were inhabiting the miraculous when it was removed.  
> In the case of this fic I realized I might have made a big error, and I have tried to address in some logical way, even though no complaints were made. I originally planned it all without Tikki being there to advise her, and not sure how I would have written her back in other wise.  
> We've yet to see if Tikki could follow any of the same rules as Plagg; only when one is removed Marinette's detrasformation was slow but inevitable (a plus to having a two-piece miraculous vs single,) and only that in the Origins episode Tikki vanished when Marinette removed her earring's willingly.


	8. At the end of the day

The sun was dipping below the western horizon, making the sky look like a sea of pink and orange, stretching the shadows of the park trees long across the path of boy in a wolf hat. He was holding onto the long ear flaps, pulling the hat tight down over his dirty brown hair, slouching some as he walked slowly along the pavement.

To one way there was just a flat, open park overlooking the Seine; to the other was a wall only a little taller than himself that held back a narrow band of grass before the street, broken up regularly as steps joined the two levels together.

It was quiet here. Most of the shops were closed and people had gone home.

He didn't notice the tracker fall off. It was only a light clatter on the sidewalk when it let go. And even if he had turned to look at the sound, it disappeared into nothingness shortly after.

"Hey there."

He spooked so badly that he fell over when he turned around to see who spoke.

"I'm so sorry!" Marinette said with a cringe. "I didn't mean to startle you."

"Who are you??" he shouted before scrambling to his feet. "Wait… I think I know you."

She stood quiet and still, waiting to hear what he would say. In her arms she held a small paper bag. He squinted, blinked, bit his lip in thought as he tried to place her face.

"You… you're that girl… from the bakery!" He looked worried now.

She smiled and let her breath go in relief. "I am. I'm glad I found you."

"What do you want?" he asked angrily. "To call the cops on me?"

"No, not at all," she said with a laugh, smiling warmly at him. "I came to apologize."

"What..?" He looked skeptical.

She nodded. "After what happened, I talked with my parents and came to the conclusion you must have just needed food. I know my dad is kind of scary when he gets mad, but he doesn't like to see anyone hungry, especially children."

"W-why are you telling me this?" He took another step back from her even though she didn't move.

"Why? I wanted to make sure you were okay. To say sorry. And that if you are hungry, you can always come back my parent's bakery. Just tell us. We always have something we can share if you ask for help."

He didn't have much of an expression to pinpoint. Just stood there with his fingers knitted together, his eyes slowly looking her over, sometimes looking around to make sure they were alone. She then realized he was fighting himself, unsure if he should be sad, angry or relived.

It seemed anger was the only thing he knew how to speak with. "Liar! No one gives you anything! Ask for food, and they give you a boot instead!"

"I'm sorry it's been so hard for you," she replied kindly. "But I'm not lying. I want to help you."

"How! You're just a kid like me!"

"Who else then?" Her question made him reset. "Just because I'm not an adult doesn't mean I can't help someone in need. Just like how being a child doesn't mean an easy life. We can do great things, no matter who we are, our age, or the life we live.

"Here," she then said and took one step forward while holding the bag out to him. "It was going to be my dinner while I studied late at the library, but if you want, you can have it."

He started to inch closer, wary but intrigued. "What is it..?"

"A sandwich, as well as a few cookies. By the way, my name is Marinette."

"Marinette?" he repeated, still inching closer like a scared puppy.

She smiled and let him take his time. "Yes. What's yours?"

He seemed to hesitate, now within reach of taking the bag from her hands. But as he looked up at her and met her smiling eyes, she saw that look of confused pain he had for just a second. Suddenly he hit the bag out of her hands which caused it to split when it hit the ground, the contents were now at her feet. When she looked up he had run away.

"Hey!" she involuntarily let out. She started to go after him, but stopped after just a few paces. It would have only made things worse.

"Some people just don't-" Chat Noir started to say, but Marinette screamed from fright and tripped over herself much like the boy had, landing hard on the ground and rubbed her side.

Chat jumped off the short ledge to her aid. "Sorry! Sorry!"

"Chat!" she growled. "Were you the reason he ran away?"

He had dropped partly to one knee to take her hands and help her up. "I doubt it, I could hardly see you. Sorry anyway..."

"Oh well," she groaned, looking off to see the boy was just a blip in the distance now.

"May I?" Chat asked as he picked up the items for her. He held up a cookie. "They look fine. Don't want to waste them either."

She smiled. "Sure." He seemed happy to have a treat.

"Sounded like he didn't know  _who_ you were," Chat commented with emphasis while munching away.

She nodded. "It would seem so. If he remembers me only as the baker's daughter, I'm okay with that." She then wrinkled her brow at him. "How did you find us?"

"Well, I wanted to find you, but then I saw this new marker on the map and decided to check it out. When did you learn that one?"

"I got the idea accidentally after fidgeting with the flute."

"Handy for sure," he stated and put on a prideful grin as he playfully tilted his head. "You know I've know that one for some time now, yes?"

"Yes..." she sighed. "I realized that too."

Okay, maybe that was what she didn't like about him...

They both looked to where the boy had gone and stood silent for some moments.

Marinette sighed sadly. "I only hope he does come to us when he's ready."

"Yeah… I feel bad." Chat started to rub his head. "I let him get to me. But at the very end, with how he was talking about Hawk Moth… I don't know. I kinda understood him."

She looked at him to see the hurt expression he had.

"I really let him get to me… I never wanted to hurt someone as much as I did him…"

"He was tough to fight," she said, and he looked down to her. "I ran into Alya, she showed me the video."

His eyes went wide and it almost made her laugh.

"It's okay though. I convinced her to not post it."

"You did?" That sounded like an impossible feat in of itself.

"Yeah. She was already torn, knowing people would take his changing out of context. So I said for her to follow what she knew was right in her heart. With maybe some coaxing..." she said with a bit of a smile. Her accomplished look shifted though, looking at him with deep concern. "It was hard to watch. You looked to be in a lot of pain…"

"Me? Eh, I'm fine," he replied, trying to brush it off.

"Are you?"

He felt his heart jump to his throat and had to swallow it down. "Yes. And if you asked Plagg that question, he'd paint you a picture that consisted of his lives flashing before his eyes and was afraid he'd never eat cheese again. So… somewhere in between." He ended with a chuckle. "I'm still standing."

She seemed content with that, still looking up at him with a soft smile.

"And you?" he asked, rubbing his neck more. "Are you okay after everything?"

"I am."

"Good." He seemed to grow a bit awkward. "I just wanted to make sure. It was- a really bad day."

She agreed with a sigh, and he could see she too was tired. "I don't know what I would have done without you, Chat Noir."

"It was nothing," he replied with a shrug. "You would have done the same for me. We are partners. That's what partners do, no?"

She smiled more. "It is."

He seemed happy. No, he was actually quite awkward now.

"Well. I suppose I should let you get home, Marinette. Normally I would ask if you needed a lift, but I now know you have your own tricks. And, don't worry. I'm not going to be bothering you, or calling you by one name or another when I shouldn't," he added on seeing the look she had.

"Thank you, Chat Noir."

"Well," he gave a bow and looked into her eyes. "I'll see you around." And with that, he turned away while reaching for his baton.

"Kitty…"

He almost regretted looking back to see the tears in her eyes. "What's wrong?"

She then stepped forward and wrapped her arms tightly around his chest. It felt a lot like how this all started. A piece of him wanted to run when that fact hit, but he already held her close as she buried her head in his shoulder.

"Thank you," she breathed.

"There's nothing I wouldn't do for you…" he replied.

"And I'm sorry… I'm sorry it had to be this way…"

He wasn't sure where this was going to go. It made him feel uneasy. Scared. But he remained quiet and just let her talk though the sobs.

"I never liked having to keep secrets… From my parents. From my best friend… Even though I knew it was important. It still hurts…

"And then you had questions… many I couldn't answer. Many I wasn't allowed to answer… it hurt to keep so many things from you, who had to keep many of the same secrets…

"I knew… I knew one day that would change. That Master Fu might require us to know. Or maybe, we finally beat Hawk Moth… and there would no longer be a need for secrets… I just didn't expect it to happen like how it did today… And that would I would have been such a mess…

"But you took it in stride… You did your best to keep me together. You could have just walked away. Or just not believed me… I would have struggled to accept it myself, yet you did… No matter what, I was still your Ladybug…

"And I know I've treated you terribly. I've lied to you… and I'm really sorry for having been such a terrible friend to you… I've broken your trust… I broke your heart… Yet you still come back to stand at my side… I'm truly am sorry… and I don't deserve it, but I really hope you can forgive me for everything I've done to you…"

He smiled against her. "I'm not mad about any of that."

"You're not?" she asked, partly muffled with how she was hiding her face against him.

He couldn't help but chuckle. "No, I'm not."

"Then I feel even worse…" Now he was laughing, and it was in part relief.

By this point he had engulfed her in a full on hug, his one hand having come up to rest at the back of her head, his fingers absently teasing at a few strands of hair, and he could nuzzle her neck.

"I don't deserve you as a friend," she then said. "I know how you feel about me, and I do love you, Kitty. But it's not the same... You're my friend… I can't imagine not having you as one… I'm sorry it's not more… and… God… why am I such a mess..?" she wined and sunk in deeper. "Why do you put up with me… why does anyone..."

He was gently rocking her and trying to not laugh, though that was futile cause she obviously could feel it.

"Because, Bugaboo, you are worth it…" She groaned but hugged him tighter. "Your friendship means everything to me too. Nothing's changed."

"Thank you…" It seemed she had finally reached the end of her confessions, having relaxed after a few deep breaths and he held her for a while longer, wrestling with this ache he felt.

"No more secrets?" he softly asked close to her ear.

She sort of laughed, then thought about what he meant, and how much it meant to her also on so many levels. "No more secrets…"

It was like he was relieved of a huge weight with how he seemed to sink into her then. A surprise to even himself as he did not realize how much he needed to hear those words. They had been through so much together, and today was the start of a new chapter in their adventures. They could only grow closer from here on out. And stronger. No matter how intertwined their lives became.

Though there was little change, the hug he now gave her had so much more emotion behind it, and she tried to return it.

"Claws in…" he breathed.

The leather changed to cloth, the locks of hair that tickled her face shifted, but he was the same beneath it all and when she would open her eyes she would truly meet this friend face-to-face.

"Oh, this is going to be hilarious," Plagg said flitting near.

"Plagg!" Tikki snapped coming out of hiding. "Don't say that!"

It brought a smile to Marinette's face that Adrien got to see when they finally drew apart. She had yet to open her eyes, but that was because she was preparing. To bad she wasn't expecting him to be someone she already knew.

"Adrien!" she shrieked and jumped clear back from him. "What?? But- How- Wh- What?!"

He just kind of froze and grimaced where he stood, watching as she frantically tried to work things out.

"Hey…" he then weakly got out with a tilt of his hand, trying to smile even though he was suddenly nervous and regretting everything.

"Hehehe, I knew this would be funny," Plagg commented. Tikki however was not amused and gave him the kwami equivalent of a punch to the arm. Plagg giggled a few more times before reaching over. "Ow…"

Adrien just stood quiet. Patiently waiting for Marinette to cycle through a list of broken phrases of disbelief.

"…this whole time??" she blurted holding her head, by now looking elsewhere. "Not- no, this has to be a dream…"

"You really don't like me, do you?" she then heard him say, bringing her attention to look at the boy she loved. He seemed so troubled now with how he stood, and his face partly hidden in one hand. "Maybe all in one day was a bad idea…"

"What? No! On the contrary… I ah…Don't, don't like you… I mean- that's not the case-!" he seemed to perk up slightly, realizing she heard him. She made herself take a few deep breaths. "Just… give me… oh why am I like this…" she then groaned and hid her face in her hands, peaking between fingers to see him waiting with a patient smile. Adrien was smiling at her. But it was also easily that annoying smirk Chat Noir. But he was Adrien!

"Marinette?"

She drew a deep breath and tried to straighten herself up. She felt more held together than she actually looked. "Yes?"

"Would… you like for me to walk you home?" Adrien asked. He looked more worried and shy than she had ever seen him. "And, maybe we can talk… along the way?"

She was in complete awe that Adrien would ask to do such a thing for her, even though she knew it was the very thing Chat Noir would do. Her eyes went from him to the two kwami floating just behind, both of which were nodding their heads, and she came to mimic the movement and looked to Adrien. He seemed so happy.

How awkward they were with each other now. But that gentleman charm of his came out as he offered for her to lead the way with a light sweep of his hand, and he would walk alongside her down the path. Although the idea was to talk, neither knew what to say for some time, just shyly glancing at one another from time to time. They were also left relatively alone as the two kwami decided to retreat to her bag and spend their own time catching up.

The evening air was starting to have a crisp feel to it as the sun grew closer to vanishing over the horizon. Marinette glanced Adrien over for the countless time, he walking slightly bent with his hands in his pockets, clearly struggling with what to say. The boy that seemed to never have trouble talking. She then realized there was maybe one safe action she could take, and she gently took his arm in hers.

"Is this okay?" she asked when he looked at her.

"Yes." He was now smiling and had straightened himself up some so to take a more proper pose, pull her a little closer in the process. They were both still dumb shy, but it was a start.

Adrien lightly cleared his throat. "Hey, um. Earlier you said you were struggling with your history assignment…"

She groaned in pain and involuntarily pressed her head into his arm. "Oh no, I had completely forgotten all about it… And it's due day after tomorrow…"

"If you like, I could help," he then said, getting a surprised look from her.

"You'd help me with my assignment?"

He smiled warmly at her. "Sure. I'd be happy to."

"If you don't, I certainly will," Tikki stated from down in the open bag.

"But, Tikki, you said I'd have an unfair advantage if you helped me."

"Marinette," Tikki sighed. "At this point in time, even with my help you are likely to fail."

"Your right, Tikki," she said with a groan and hung her head.

She then felt Adrien's hand rest on hers, looking up to see a sympathetic, but loving smile. "Shall I come over tomorrow then?"

"Ahh... I...I would like that."

And so they walked along, both feeling more at ease and enjoying each other's company. It was quiet, and that was okay, there would be plenty of other times to talk. But there was one thing burning upon Adrien's mind.

"So… how's Luka by the way? I've not seen him since the ice-skating rink."

"Oh," she sounded surprised, but thought about it once she got over how odd it was he would ask that out of the blue. "Neither have I, but doing well last I heard."

"Really?" Adrien mused, feeling hopefully. "With how you two were on the ice, it seemed you had grown rather close to one another."

"Close?" she repeated. She then chuckled. "Well, he has been a really good friend. But..." She then shrugged.

He seemed to have a slightly different, more coy smile. "Oh, okay…"

 

* * *

 

The broken down apartment was dark and cold feeling. Sparse of furniture, it was not short on litter or grime, and there was the sounds of a TV playing in the kitchen. The boy tried to close the door as silently as he could, but the old hinges and loose boards of the floor would give his entry away.

"Austen Chastain, is that you?" came a ragged voice.

"Yes, Na-na…" he said timidly.

"It's late!" she barked. "Where have you been all day? Did you eat? Did you bring anything back?"

"No," was the only answer he could give to the string of angry questions.

"Pah! …useless," she grumbled, sitting in the lone chair at the table in the kitchen, face glued to the tiny television set. She then took a drink from the glass she had clenched in her hand, the bottle close by. "Like that son of mine…"

"Did papa call?" he asked, teasing at the hem of his jacket.

"What do you think??" she snapped, and he shrank.

"That useless boy! Complained I was a terrible mother. Thinks he's so much better. And then has the gall to just leave his son with me while he runs around, and- ghhhaaa-!" She took another drink from the glass while Austen slipped out of the small living room and into the tiny bedroom, softly closing the door behind to shutout her mad ravings.

There was two warn out matrices in here with hardly any blankets to be laid out. He shuffled over to the one that sat under a window, pulling the moth eaten sheet back so that the light of the dying day and street lamps could come in, and he just sat there curled up with his knees to his chest looking out the filthy window.

His stomach gurgled, but for once it the opposite of being hungry, and his mind went over the things he could remember of the day. Obviously, he was sad. He looked around at the setting he was in, he picked up one of the only other items he owned which was a book on animal facts, flipping through a few pages, mostly looking at the pictures, stopping at the page of wolves.

He then put the book down and reached up to pull his hat off for a look. He teased it some as he examined it over, knowing every stitch it was made with by this point, and looked deep into its fabric eyes. He then gave it a few playful tosses in the air, as if expecting it to do something more before looking at it again.

"Mr. Hawk Moth?" he said softly. "…can you hear me?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ya'll have permission to hate me as much as I hate myself, but I simply couldn't finish without telling the boy's story too. Perhaps he'll make a return, although right now I have no plans for that seeing as this was more of a one-off story. But, perhaps someone else wants to show this poor boy some much-needed love. I sure do!
> 
> Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed the majority of my story, I really wanted to explore some aspects of character development that I felt wasn't touched on enough, and just really wanted to see more badassery out of Adrien cause I get so tired of seeing him used as a dumb tool! :[
> 
> Although I personally don't think this is how a reveal will go, it certainly was fun to play with, and I do think they would behave much like how I wrote it at first, because, seriously, even two internet friends are damn awkward when they finally meet face to face.
> 
> Thank you again for your time, feel free to tell me how terrible I am. I DO want feedback, feel free to tell me what you did and didn't like. I like criticism when done in a constructive manor. I like to hear what ideas and plots I implemented are and are not acceptable. I get some will hate me for leaving poor Austen in the hole he's in, I want to see good things for him, and I may pull him into something else. But feel free to talk in the comments! I'll be lurking and replying :)
> 
> I also have a tumblr I post random comics I'm doing if that's also your thing.
> 
> Cheers!  
> ~Cassie, aka Typo


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